A joint operation by the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

• The monetary seizures were carried out in the month of January and the first week of February.
• The travelers were reported to the Executive Service of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Monetary Offences

February 15, 2023.- Officials of the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency together with civil guards from the Fiscal and Border Section of the Bilbao airport have seized more than 46,000 euros and 6,000 US dollars without declaring three passengers on January 17, 30 and February 1 at the aforementioned airport.

The Customs Surveillance Service and the Civil Guard agents, who act as State Fiscal Guard under the functional dependency of the Regional Customs and Excise Department. of the Basque Country, carry out daily inspections of passengers and luggage according to preventive risk criteria at Bilbao airport, among other actions.

The first operation took place on January 17 at the airport customs control. While the agents were carrying out a tax inspection of a passenger from Bolivia, they found around 6,900 euros and 6,000 US dollars among his belongings. When they asked him for the accompanying payment transaction declaration document (E-1), the traveler replied that he did not have it, so the money was seized.

The following two interventions took place at the terminal's boarding filter on January 30 and February 1, when two passengers with destinations outside the national territory were carrying an amount of money greater than the legally established amount without the aforementioned E-1 declaration.

During these operations, the Civil Guard found more than 10,200 euros in cash in the belongings of a passenger with a end-use of Pakistan, and in the luggage of a traveller with a ticket to Istanbul an amount close to 29,000 euros. None of them had submitted the proper declaration of payment transactions to the authorities.

The three offenders were reported to the Executive Service of the Commission for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Monetary Offences, and the penalty they face is up to 50% of the value of the means of payment used. The seized money was deposited in the Bank of Spain.

Obligation to submit Declaration of Payment Method Movements

Individuals must previously complete a Declaration of Payment Method Movements when they make the following movements: 

• Exit or entry into national territory of accompanied or unaccompanied means of payment for an amount equal to or greater than 10,000 euros or the equivalent value in foreign currency.
• Movements through national territory of means of payment for an amount equal to or greater than 100,000 euros or the equivalent in foreign currency.

The declaration must be presented, without prior request, to the Customs Services.