Belgian customs intercepted 294 travellers carrying excessive amounts of cash last year, down sharply from 464 in 2024, according to figures released on Wednesday by the SPF Finances.
The drop is partly explained by the death of Bella, a cash-detection sniffer dog previously deployed at Brussels Airport Zaventem.
Travellers entering or leaving the European Union are required to declare cash amounts of €10,000 or more, regardless of the currency. Those caught without a declaration risk being fined.
The 294 travellers intercepted were carrying a combined total of €6.9 million, a figure broadly in line with the amount seized in 2024.
Euro banknotes accounted for 97.3% of the total, followed by US dollars and Swiss francs. Customs officers also discovered gold bars worth a total of €185,701.
Since Bella's death, customs at Zaventem no longer have a cash-sniffing dog in operation. Previously, two specially trained dogs were used for this task.
According to the SPF Finances, a new dog is currently undergoing training.
