Cash discovered with a dash of suspicion at Lithuania-Latvia border checkpoint
In a recent customs checkpoint incident in Riga, authorities have seized a significant amount of undeclared cash. The vehicle involved in the incident, with license plates from the Federal Republic of Germany, was carrying two individuals: a German national and a Moldovan national.
Upon questioning, both individuals denied having any cash to declare. However, during a thorough customs control, it was discovered that the German national was in possession of approximately €400,000 in cash. This undeclared cash was subsequently seized.
The Moldovan national's identity has not been publicly disclosed. Additional cash was also seized, totalling EUR 102,240, USD 45,466, and banknotes in other currencies.
Following the announcement, the German national admitted to the seized cash. Criminal proceedings have been initiated for alleged money laundering, as per Article 195(3) of the Criminal Law.
It is important to note that when crossing the state border of the Republic of Latvia, any person is obliged to declare EUR 10,000 or more cash.
Five authorized searches were conducted, four in Riga and one in Mārupe municipality. An in-depth control could not be performed on the spot, so it was decided to conduct the control at the Riga Freeport customs control point in Riga with a canine officer.
The seized cash has been deposited in a Treasury account. Despite the seizure and initiation of criminal proceedings, the individuals were detained but have since been released with non-custodial measures taken against them.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of declaring all cash when crossing international borders to avoid potential legal issues.
