Two Romanians were left without €63,000 after being checked in Italy

Two Romanian citizens were left without €63,000 after Italy’s Financial Police in Palmanova, in the country’s northeast near the border with Slovenia, discovered that they were carrying more than €100,000 in cash without declaring the sum upon entering the country.

The money, in €50 and €100 banknotes, was hidden in a compartment of a Rolls-Royce registered in Romania. Following the inspection, the Italian authorities ordered the administrative confiscation of €63,000.

The two men said they were from Romania and were transporting the money on behalf of a compatriot to purchase works of art. However, they did not present the customs documents required to justify the transfer of cash.

Under Italian and European legislation, amounts of at least €10,000 transported across borders must be declared to customs authorities. Failure to comply with this obligation can lead to sanctions and the confiscation of part of the money.

The operation is part of checks carried out by the Financial Police on the cross-border movement of capital to monitor financial flows and combat illicit activities.