For a 60-year-old Austrian citizen, the attempted export of 46.000 euros in cash to Egypt went anything but according to plan. The customs asked the man to do a check at the gate shortly before departure and they found what they were looking for.

The legal situation stipulates that cash over 10.000 euros must be registered when entering and leaving the European Union. It is a simple process that can be carried out by customs officers at the airport. When checking at the gate, the traveler initially replied that he did not have any cash with him.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Finance, however, the officials became suspicious of the conspicuous shapes that were visible from his clothing. Then it was probably clear to the passenger that there is now no more escape. He complied with the request to voluntarily reveal all hiding places and handed the customs officers five envelopes with a total of 46.000 euros in cash.

In the course of the survey, the traveler stated that 44.000 euros of it, i.e. most of the money, would belong to his sister-in-law. He would have wanted to buy an apartment for her in Cairo. Financial criminal proceedings were initiated against the man.

Travelers entering or leaving the European Union and carrying funds worth 10.000 euros or more must declare this amount to the customs authorities. "In the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the fight against illegal movements of money is essential," said Finance Minister Gernot Blümel, explaining the background to customs controls in the cash sector.