Two men charged with money laundering – 66,400 euros found hidden in car

It was quite a find that was made when the Police and Customs Group stopped a car upon entry into Denmark in Padborg on Tuesday evening.

At 11:15 p.m., the Police and Customs Group stopped a car upon entry into Denmark in Padborg. During an inspection of the vehicle, customs officers found 66,400 euros hidden in the car. The amount had not been declared upon entry, and the money was therefore seized and the car taken to the Danish Customs Agency’s inspection facility for further examination.

Two men in the car – a 30-year-old man from Aarhus Municipality and a 38-year-old man from Randers Municipality – were arrested and charged with money laundering.

“We selected the car for inspection, and during the check we found the large amount of cash, which had not been declared prior to entry, and we suspect that this is a case of money laundering. In addition, we found other circumstances that were not as they should be,” says Deputy Chief Superintendent Karsten Høy, UKA West at Syd- & Sønderjyllands Politi.

The 30-year-old driver of the car was also charged with providing false information about his identity, with driving despite having his driving licence revoked, and with possession of an illegal pepper spray.

Syd- & Sønderjyllands Politi has seized the 66,400 euros for further investigation.

According to the rules, travellers who bring 10,000 euros or more in cash or other liquid funds must declare this to the Danish Customs Agency. The purpose is to prevent money laundering and financial crime across borders.

“This case shows that our increased focus on money laundering is paying off and producing results. We have an important task in preventing money laundering, and our border controls are crucial in this regard. We will continue to carry out checks, and we will not accept attempts to transport large sums of money outside the authorities’ control,” says Jeppe Kjærgaard, Director of Control at the Danish Customs Agency.

After questioning and further investigations, the two men were released.