Canadian loses US dollars he concealed about his body

A Canadian man is out thousands of dollars after failing to get permission from the Exchange Control Authority to leave Barbados with US$15,000.

Station Sergeant Glenda Carter-Nicholls in prosecuting the case in the District ‘F’ Magistrates’ Court yesterday revealed that 63-year-old Claude Samard of Quebec was caught with the United States currency at the Grantley Adams International Airport on February 9.

He had concealed the money on different parts of his body including his underwear and pockets.

It was also disclosed before Magistrate Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell that the visitor sold some shares he had in a company here but failed to seek permission from the Central Bank of Barbados to leave the country with it.

Investigations by law enforcement officers reportedly showed that Samard was familiar with the procedure for leaving the island with large sums of cash but chose not to follow through.

Following his guilty plea and facts of the case Samard was fined $5,000 forthwith with an alternative of three months in prison.

The money was paid. He also had to forfeit the US$15,000.