Article published on 06 August 2011

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=129959

Carlos Friaz, 47, holder of a Dutch passport, was acquitted of resorting to money laundering when he tried to leave Malta carrying some €18,120, most of which was undeclared.

The police suspected that the man, born in the Dominican Republic, was involved in a drug trafficking ring. Because most of the money was hidden in clothes in his luggage, hand luggage and in one of his pockets, the police worked on the theory of money laundering.

The day before, two persons from the Dominican Republic were caught entering Malta with some 400 grammes of cocaine. The police found out that the three persons were connected because one had the other’s telephone numbers on his phone.

However, the court did not have enough proof to reach the conclusion that the money was a result of drug trafficking and therefore money laundering.

Moreover, Friaz was travelling to Brussels and stopping him from transferring money went against the free movement of capital exercised in the EU.

He was only found guilty of failing to declare the money.

Magistrate Edwina Grima, who presided the court, ordered him to pay a fine of €4,530. It also ordered confiscation of the excess amount not declared, €8,120, in favour of the government.

Police inspector Angelo Gafa prosecuted while Dr Joe Brincat appeared for Friaz.