It pays to fly with cash, that hankering for an alcoholic beverage or a bag of salted nuts usually requiring that you pay with a note or two.

You’ll have a tough time convincing airline authorities that you need R7 million though, that’s a whole lot of nuts and in-flight entertainment.

Sars have revealed they intercepted a passenger with the wad of cash at King Shaka International Airport in Durbs, a spokesperson saying they confiscated the cash and handed it over to the Reserve Bank. TimesLive reports:

[Sandile] Memela said that the passenger would face criminal prosecution as he “failed to declare that he was taking R7m out of the country”. The South African rand bank notes were destined for Amman via Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight, Sars said in a statement.

Sars customs officers together with a baggage handler became suspicious when three suitcases scheduled for loading at the departing flight were being removed from the international arrivals hall.

“Upon investigation, it was established [that] the owner of the bags requested a change on the bags’ final destination without making a declaration to Customs. Thus Sars Customs officials directed the bags for a luggage scan,” Sars said.

A quick peek inside those bags showed a cool R7 049 320, leading to the passenger being handed over to police.

I’d like to be a fly on the wall during those conversations, it can’t be easy explaining away seven bar.

[source:timeslive]