Over €50,000 in cash discovered in fraud investigation

Police have described discovering staggering amounts of cash- in excess of €50,000- in €20 and €50 notes, stashed in multiple locations together with other items by customs officials now charged with fraud, money laundering and participation in organised crime.

Duncan Mangion, Carmel Busuttil, Jonathan Theuma, Jonathan Mizzi and his wife, Greta Mizzi, were arrested after a sting operation led by the European Public Prosecutors Office and arraigned in court last July, accused of the offences, together with Edward Mifsud, Marika Bugeja, Timothy Galea and Libyan businessman Otman Ali Otman Abdulkader.

Magistrate Rachel Montebello heard police officers describe how around 40 handbags, 26 sets of curtains, as well as pendants, keychains, clothing, mobile phone covers, wallets and sunglasses - as well as around €25,000 in cash were found during a search of Edward Mifsud’s residence. Mifsud had confirmed to the police that the money was his and that he had received the case from container owners.

The officials are believed to have received the cash and other items in return for allowing the shippers to under-declare the weights of the merchandise in order to pay less import duty and VAT.

A search of Duncan Mangion’s residence had also returned similar items, the court was told.

At Timothy Galea’s house, the police found approximately €18,000 stashed in a suitcase, together with bags, men's shoes, schoolbags, clothing, and luggage. A wallet containing €980 in cash was amongst the items retrieved from his car.

The police officers testified that when they had searched Marika Bugeja’s apartment, they found her bedroom to be “full” of handbags, and had also found around €8,000 in cash.

More cash was discovered stashed inside various rooms in the home of Convey Shipping and Trading Agency Ltd owner Greta Mizzi, including her children’s wardrobes.

The case continues next month.

Police inspector Joseph Xerri is prosecuting, together with EPPO official Geoffrey Azzopardi. The defendants are being represented by lawyers Franco Debono, Adreana Zammit, Arthur Azzopardi, Ishmael Psaila, Alfred Abela, Rene’ Darmanin, Michael Sciriha, Lucio Sciriha, and Roberto Spiteri.