Albanian sentenced in Canada for moving money out of the country

TIRANA, Oct 7 – The Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that federal money laundering legislation can apply to amounts of less than $10,000, if an individual does not take “reasonable care” to ensure that funds taken out of Canada are not used for illegal purposes.
The ruling stemmed from the seizure of US$50,000 by customs officials at Pearson International Airport in August, 2005, from a Toronto resident returning to visit Albania.
Bujar Mehmeti failed to report that he was carrying the money, which a court heard later was given to him by five men to take to various family members in Albania and Kosova.
The Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act requires everyone to report sums of $10,000 or more that are exported from Canada.
Four of the men gave at least $10,000 to Mehmeti. A fifth person, Katch McCain, entrusted US$5,000 to Mehmeti to take to Albania to invest in a business venture.
All of the men stated that the Kosovo/Albanian community in Toronto is small and tight-knit and it is not unusual to ask someone to take cash to their homeland.
An Ontario Superior Court judge ruled against the other four men and ordered their funds to be forfeited.