Posted on 01/15/2004 10:21:58 AM PST by NativeNewYorker
Beirut (dpa) - Authorities at Beirut airport confiscated some 19.5 billion new Iraqi dinars from three business men who arrived in the city on a charter flight from Baghdad, Lebanon's general prosecutor Adnan Adoum said Thursday.
Adoum told Deutsche Presse Agentur, dpa that the three men, who were on board a private jet which landed at Beirut airport late Wednesday are being questioned.
He valued the haul at about 19 million U.S. dollars.
The three were identified as Richard Jreisati - a former official of the banned Christian-Lebanese Forces militia -, Mohammed Abu-Darwish and Michel Mukattaf - son-in-law of former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel.
Iraq's old bank notes, bearing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's portrait, ceased to be legal tender Thursday following a three-month change-over period to the new currency.
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