Korean arrested for undeclared ¥47 million

MANILA, Philippines — A South Korean passenger was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday after Customs officials discovered undeclared 47 million Japanese yen equivalent to $292,307 (more than P17 million) in his check-in luggage.

Customs X-ray inspection detected the foreign bills in the luggage of Kim Tae-hyun upon his arrival at NAIA Terminal 3 from Tokyo, according to Customs assistant deputy collector for passenger services Mark Almase.

Almase said the Customs examiner asked Kim if he had something to declare, to which the Korean replied, “none.”

Customs also scanned the Customs General Declaration QR code and noted that the Korean ticked “No” for all items.

Kim was then invited to the exclusion room for physical examination of his luggage by the Customs Enforcement Security Service (ESS), Customs police and the airline flight supervisor.

His luggage yielded bundles of Japanese yen bills contained in a black cloth along with diving gear.

Almase said the non-declaration of foreign currency is in violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and the confiscation was in line with the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counterterrorism Proliferation Financing Strategy.

The confiscated foreign currency was turned over to the in-bond unit of the Baggage Assistance Division while Kim was held by the ESS for further investigation and subsequent inquest by the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.