€650,000 missing from airport customs storage in Romania

€650,000 missing from airport customs storage in Romania

Authorities in Romania are investigating the disappearance of €650,000 that was stored in the service premises of the customs office at Henri Coandă International Airport in Otopeni. The money had previously been seized from a passenger arriving from Dubai.

According to reports, the incident occurred after customs officers stopped a passenger on 9 January 2026 and discovered undeclared cash amounting to approximately €700,000 in their possession.

The funds were seized and placed in a special storage facility of the customs bureau. They were to be kept there until the legal status of the money was clarified and the relevant procedures were completed.

The disappearance was discovered when the case review was concluded and a decision was made to return the cash to its owner. While preparing for the return, customs officers established that the money was no longer in the storage facility.

According to information provided in reports on the incident, only specific customs staff had access to the premises. Following the discovery of the disappearance, law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor's office were involved in the case. An internal investigation of employees who may have had access to the storage facility has also been launched.