An expatriate in Saudi Arabia has been convicted of money laundering for attempting to smuggle $297,000 via King Abdulaziz International Airport outside the Kingdom, Trend reports citing Al Arabiya.
The expat, of African nationality, attempted to transfer the money by hiding it inside carton boxes for dates, the investigation revealed.
A criminal case was filed against the expat before the court charged him with money laundering by attempting to smuggle cash outside the country.
A preliminary ruling was issued for his conviction which ruled that the seized cash be confiscated and that the expat be imprisoned for two years and deported after serving the sentence.
However, Public Prosecution submitted an objection to appeal the verdict and called for a stricter penalty.
Public Prosecution stressed the importance of safeguarding the economy and noted that it would hand out severe penalties to those who seek to harm the national economy and its financial system.