Customs dog sniffs out €22,000 in undeclared cash on airport passenger

A man arriving to Malta from Frankfurt with a large amount of money which he failed to declare is regretting his decision today, after a Customs Canine Unit dog detected the undeclared cash.

The cash was found after Stan, a sniffer dog, screened the passenger’s luggage at the airport and gave a positive indication, which triggered a physical search of the person’s belongings. 

Subsequently, €22,130 were elevated from the man's carry-on luggage.

Under new legislation, since the passenger failed to declare the said cash, he had to pay a fine in lieu of court proceedings. 

Passengers are obliged to declare any amount of cash over €10,000 whether arriving, departing or transiting through Malta. Similar laws apply to most countries around the world.

Customs anti-money laundering officials carry out routine checks at the airport, and are aided by dogs from the Canine Unit.