Australian airline employee charged with failing to declare excess currency

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2014-01-27

A 34-year-old Thai national is scheduled to appear in Parramatta Local Court charged with failing to declare over $100,000 in Australian currency as she attempted to leave Sydney International Airport.

The woman, who is an airline employee, was attempting to depart Australia in her official capacity on a flight to Bangkok, Thailand.

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers stopped the woman for a baggage examination after the Detector Dog Unit gave a positive indication to the airline worker.

During the examination the woman verbally declared $8,000 in Australian currency found in her hand luggage. A subsequent examination of the woman's checked in baggage uncovered an additional eight envelopes with an estimated value of $100,000.

The matter was subsequently referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the woman was arrested and charged with:
• One count of fail to report movements of physical currency out of Australia contrary to section 53 (1) (a) (ii) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth);
• One count of dealing with money or other property reasonably being suspected of being proceeds of crime greater than $100,000 or more contrary to section 400.9(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

These offences carry maximum penalties of two years' imprisonment and/or a $85,000 fine, and three years' imprisonment and/or $30,600 fine respectively.

Source: Australian Federal Police

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