Czech customs officers discovered nearly €70,000 in cash hidden inside the cabin of a truck during a routine inspection last week on the D8 motorway near Siřejovice. The driver, a 53-year-old Czech national operating a Dutch-registered vehicle, was reportedly unable to explain the origin of the funds.
According to officials, officers conducting checks for goods evading customs supervision selected the truck around 1 p.m. for inspection. Inside the cabin, they found an archive box placed between the seats, containing three bags filled with euro banknotes. The total sum counted reached €69,487.
The money was seized on suspicion that it could be linked to the laundering of criminal proceeds. Authorities noted that failing to report large cash transfers or withholding required information may lead to the forfeiture of the funds and a fine of up to CZK 10 million.
A recent amendment to anti-money laundering legislation has expanded the powers of customs officers, allowing them to monitor cross-border transfers of cash exceeding €15,000—whether by road, post, or other means—within the European Union.
Photo credit: The Customs Administration of the Czech Republic
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