COURT FORFEITS UNDECLARED EURO CURRENCY TO STATE
Euro dollar notes. Photo credit: www.iraqidinar123.com
The High Court has forfeited 10,000 Euros to the State that were undeclared by a couple from New Caledonia.
The couple in March this year pleaded guilty to one count of failing to declare the sum to a Customs officer and one count of false declaration under the Customs and Excise Act.
The case came to light when they tried to change the Euro money at the ANZ Bank in Honiara to pay for artefacts to take home.
The ANZ Bank alerted the Central Bank and after an investigation, found the money was undeclared.
The couple paid a fine of $32,000 to Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty.
The Director of Public Prosecutions who was in possession of the money applied to the High Court to forfeit the money to the state.
Judge James Apaniai granted the application last Monday.
It is understood, 10,000 Euros is equivalent to more than 89,000 Solomon dollars.