Driver banned after smuggling £400k into France from UK
A driver who was caught with more than £400,000 in cash hidden in his car has been fined and banned from France from 10 years, French customs officers have announced.
The car was stopped and searched on October 18th at a service station on the A43 autoroute, close to the border with Italy, by douaniers from the Chambéry customs team.
After searching the vehicle, they found hidden in the fuel tank 44 plastic-wrapped bundles of cash that totalled £401,060 and €20,710.
The driver told customs officials that he had travelled from the UK and was heading to Greece via the Italian port of Ancona.
French customs officials counting the seized cash, which totalled £401,060 and €20,710. Photo: Douane française
He was arrested and given a two-year suspended jail sentence, the money was confiscated and he was ordered to pay customs fines of €239,869. He was also banned from re-entering France for 10 years.
Although bringing large amounts of cash into France is not illegal, all cash, securities and valuables must be declared to customs officials if their value is €10,000 or above.
You must declare any of the following if they have a value of €10,000 or above;
- Coins and banknotes
- Bearer cheques
- Traveller's cheques
- Cheques for which the drawer is not the beneficiary
- Non-domiciled commercial papers
- Non-domiciled letters of credit
- Anonymous bearer bonds
- Money orders
- Securities, bearer bonds and other negotiable debt papers in bearer form or endorsable
The declaration can be made either in person when you cross the border into France, or in advance using the online form found on the French customs page.
Failure to declare cash or other securities can result in the confiscation of the money plus a fine of 50 percent of the amount that you were attempting to bring in. The purpose of the legislation is to combat money laundering and proceeds from illegal activity such as drug dealing - so if you have a large amount you are likely to be asked where it came from.
The legislation applies to both French nationals and foreigners.
If you are bringing any non work-related items into France - including furniture, DIY equipment, electronics or artworks - you will need to make a customs declaration and pay import duties if their value is greater than €430.
There is an exemption for people who are moving to France and bringing furniture and household goods with them - full details here.
READ ALSO What can second-home owners bring to their French property?
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The car was stopped and searched on October 18th at a service station on the A43 autoroute, close to the border with Italy, by douaniers from the Chambéry customs team.
After searching the vehicle, they found hidden in the fuel tank 44 plastic-wrapped bundles of cash that totalled £401,060 and €20,710.
The driver told customs officials that he had travelled from the UK and was heading to Greece via the Italian port of Ancona.
He was arrested and given a two-year suspended jail sentence, the money was confiscated and he was ordered to pay customs fines of €239,869. He was also banned from re-entering France for 10 years.
Although bringing large amounts of cash into France is not illegal, all cash, securities and valuables must be declared to customs officials if their value is €10,000 or above.
You must declare any of the following if they have a value of €10,000 or above;
- Coins and banknotes
- Bearer cheques
- Traveller's cheques
- Cheques for which the drawer is not the beneficiary
- Non-domiciled commercial papers
- Non-domiciled letters of credit
- Anonymous bearer bonds
- Money orders
- Securities, bearer bonds and other negotiable debt papers in bearer form or endorsable
The declaration can be made either in person when you cross the border into France, or in advance using the online form found on the French customs page.
Failure to declare cash or other securities can result in the confiscation of the money plus a fine of 50 percent of the amount that you were attempting to bring in. The purpose of the legislation is to combat money laundering and proceeds from illegal activity such as drug dealing - so if you have a large amount you are likely to be asked where it came from.
The legislation applies to both French nationals and foreigners.
If you are bringing any non work-related items into France - including furniture, DIY equipment, electronics or artworks - you will need to make a customs declaration and pay import duties if their value is greater than €430.
There is an exemption for people who are moving to France and bringing furniture and household goods with them - full details here.
READ ALSO What can second-home owners bring to their French property?
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