At least 37 cases were caught at the border crossing points during 2022 regarding the non-declaration of the amounts of money carried. 

According to the law, all persons entering or leaving the Albanian territory are obliged to declare amounts in cash, precious metals or stones, valuables and antiques, starting from the amount of 10,000 euros or its equivalent in other currencies, the purpose of their retention, as well as to submit relevant justifying documents. 

In fact, checks have shown that several dozen cases have not met this point. The publication of the customs green book for 2022 shows that the amount attempted to be passed at the border points is 165 thousand pounds, 1.3 million euros and 1.85 million ALL. 

"In 2022, during the controls carried out by the Customs Administration at the Border Crossing Points, a total of 37 cases of seizure/non-declaration of monetary values were found. Of these, the largest number was carried out at Mother Teresa International Airport (14 cases), with amounts ranging on average from GBP 14,000 to EUR 25,000. The largest number of cases for the year 2022 is represented by the captures at the entrance of P.K.K. with 28 cases, and arrests at the exit with 9 cases" it is stated in the annual publication of the Customs. 

If we look at the categories separately, then crossing from customs points to airports was attempted in 14 cases, from border points to seaports in 6 cases and from land border points in 17 cases. 

The green book also reveals the cases of illegal traffic, where in 2022 139 kilograms of cocaine, 193 kilograms of cannabis, 2 weapons and 625 ammunition, as well as 99 contraband were found. 

"As a result of the increase in controls aimed at preventing, identifying and cracking down on narcotics trafficking, based on the risk analysis, 3 seizures of the narcotic cocaine originating from South America were made in the port of Durrës. At the Rinas and Kakavije border crossing points, 2 weapons and 625 ammunition were discovered and seized during the second line controls," the document states.

(Source: Monitor)