Airport security seize USD 81,030 in cash bundles inside cereal box

Security officers at the Velana International Airport (VIA) have seized USD 81,030 in bundles of cash hidden inside a cereal box a passenger was carrying.

In a post on X, the VIA’s Aviation Security Command said the cash bundles were discovered by their screening team on Sunday, from the luggage of a Bangladeshi traveler who was set to fly to from Male’ to Dhaka on US-Bangla Airlines.

Photos and videos shared by the Aviation Security Command shows the cash bundles were hidden inside a box of Kellogg’s corn flakes – a popular breakfast cereal. The bundles were labeled and packed nearly inside a tinfoil packet which appears to have been resealed.

Security officers cut open the packet using scissors to find the bundles of cash.

މިއަދު (25 އޯގަސްޓް 24) ޔޫއެސް ބަންގްލާ އެއަރލައިންސް (BS338) އިން މާލެއިން ޑާކާއަށް ދަތުރުކުރަން ދިޔަ ބަންގްލަދޭޝް ރައްޔިތެއްގެ ލަގެޖްގައި ފޮރުވައިގެން ޤަވާޢިދާއި ޚިލާފަށް ރާއްޖެއިން ބޭރުކުރަން އުޅުނު 81030 ނަގުދު ފައިސާ (USD )AVSECOMmv@ ގެ ސްކްރީނިންގް ޓީމުން ވަނީ ހޯދާފައެވެ . pic.twitter.com/L1hadeBqMY

— AVSECOM (@AVSECOMmv) August 25, 2024

The USD 81,030 seized in the operation is worth MVR 1,243,810.50).

Cash exceeding USD 20,000 requires a Customs declaration.