Sydney, April 17: A man departing from Perth International Airport was fined over $3,500 for failing to declare significant amounts of mixed currency in his possession.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers, who were targeting organized crime and money laundering, questioned the passenger and examined his baggage as part of routine checks.
They discovered several different currencies in the man’s carry-on bags:
- 17,200 Australian dollars
- 420 Turkish lira
- 273 Qatari riyal
- 145 United States dollars
- 300 Lebanese pounds
- 365 Singapore dollars
- 1385 United Arab Emirates dirham
While there is no limit to how much currency can be carried into or out of Australia, amounts exceeding AU$10,000 or its foreign equivalent must be declared to customs, as stated on the disembarking card. This passenger failed to do so.
The man admitted to ABF officers that he had previously been fined for a similar offense in 2015.
ABF Superintendent Vesna Gavranich stated, “We are aware of organized crime groups attempting to depart Australia with undeclared excess cash in support of well-established money laundering networks. The ABF is committed to removing funds from the pockets of these groups, and restricting their ability to harm our communities.”
She further advised, “If you need to move significant amounts of cash across our border, to avoid heavy penalties you must simply declare it.”
The passenger was fined $3,756, which he settled before boarding his flight.
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