Customs and financial police officers in Genoa uncovered a large amount of undeclared cash during passenger checks at the Ponte Doria port on June 5, 2026. The money was discovered ahead of departures on a ferry bound for Morocco.
Inspectors from the Customs Agency and the Guardia di Finanza conducting routine controls found almost €108,000 in cash among the belongings of passengers preparing to board the ship.
A 60-year-old Winnie the Pooh plush toy was identified as a concealment location.
Inside the toy, officers found €60,085 in banknotes. The remaining funds were found elsewhere in luggage.
Under Italian and EU law, individuals carrying more than €10,000 in cash out of the country must declare the amount to customs. None of the cash found had been declared.
Authorities seized part of the money immediately. In this case, €35,059 was confiscated, while an additional €25,026 was temporarily held to allow for further investigation into the funds’ origin.
Customs also issued administrative fines. Three passengers were given summonses with immediate payment obligations totaling €2,637 for documentation violations.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the undeclared cash and whether other legal violations apply.
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