Nearly €200,000 in undeclared cash was seized from a Ukrainian passenger at Paphos airport by customs officers after the money was discovered hidden inside socks in his luggage.

The customs department said on Tuesday the passenger had arrived in Cyprus from Dublin on Sunday when officers carried out an inspection following a tip off.

An x-ray examination of the luggage prompted a physical search by officers, who discovered €199,950 in cash “carefully hidden inside 13 socks, placed inside shoes”.

The department said the passenger had failed to declare the money upon arrival in Cyprus, leading officers to seize the full amount.

The case is now being investigated further by customs’ investigative branch,