BULK CASH SEIZURE AT MALTA'S AIRPORT IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Media reports stating that there was a seizure of more than €23,000 at Malta International Airport, and the arrest of two individuals traveling together, who were each smuggling over €11,000 in cash, are extremely disturbing, but not unexpected. Given that the two bulk cash smugglers' destination was Istanbul, it fits a pattern. Malta has, of late, drawn closer to Turkey in the international arena, in its support of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA), whose true supporter, behind the scenes, is the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The fact that Iran comes with broad international sanctions does not appear to deter Turkey, who facilitated the billion dollar oil-for-gold sanctions evasion scheme that Iran used to defy the international community, while advancing its illegal Weapons of Mass Destruction  and ballistic missile programs, and now Malta has willingly been drawn into the fray, by assisting, in many ways, the GNA, including funding it through Malta's banks. This will only result in something extremely harmful to Malta, its economy, and its people, who we are sure want no part of Iran's plans to exert its influence over North Africa, and butt heads with the US and Middle Eastern Countries who oppose the GNA.

Where was this money destined to end up, we wonder. Was it funding some covert Iranian project, was it merely cash for Iran's coffers, conveniently in Euros, rather than Dollars ? Was it for bribes or kickbacks in support of some corrupt program, or some other unknown, yet linked, reason which will only result in an American response. Honestly, Malta has had enough shocks with US banks closing up the correspondent accounts of its banks. if Malta becomes inextricably linked to Iran, who knows what action OFAC, or the US Treasury, might take against its financial community, with disastrous results.

Perhaps this is the time for cooler heads to prevails in Malta, and convince government to back off from this dangerous pathway towards Iran, and potential pariah status due to guilt by association with a state sponsor of terrorism.