German police bust man on Amsterdam-Prague train with €105,000 in cash
German customs officers arrested a 31-year-old resident of the Netherlands last week on a train traveling from Amsterdam to Prague after discovering more than 105,000 euros in cash, according to the regional customs office, Hauptzollamt Dresden. The entire sum was seized when investigators were unconvinced by the man's claims about the origin of the cash.
The incident happened on Feb. 10 during a random search on the international train when the man told the officers he was not carrying any contraband, and said he had no items to declare. "During the subsequent search, a large amount of cash was apparently found in two bags inside his backpack," the customs office wrote in a press release.
"When asked by the officers how much cash it was, the man stated that he had approximately 98,000 euros with him, which he said was intended for the purchase of two high-priced cars in the Czech Republic. He could not specify the models or how much the vehicles cost," investigators stated.
Not believing the man's story, officers then searched him, finding more cash inside his jacket and the pockets of his pants. Using a money-counting machine, the total was calculated at 105,430 euros. He was taken into custody during the check, which happened on a section of track between Dresden and Bad Schandau.
According to the suspect, 30,000 euros of the cash came from his own bank account, while the remainder was sent to him by friends in Vietnam. German customs officials expressed serious doubts about the explanation and the source of the funds, and began a forensic investigation to determine if the man should be charged with money laundering.
"Travelers within the European Union must declare any cash they are carrying if asked. The aim is to prevent illegal money transfers across Germany's borders in order to combat money laundering, and the financing of terrorism and crimes," authorities stated.
