Five people have been treated by paramedics after a suitcase boobytrapped with insecticide was opened by inspectors at Schiphol airport.

The case was confiscated at the airport on Tuesday afternoon and taken to The Outlook building, which is used by Dutch customs officers, for inspection. It was found to contain hundreds of thousands of counterfeit banknotes, customs officials told local TV station AT5.

Five people were taken unwell after being exposed to the pesticide dimethoate when the case was opened. An ambulance was called but the victims did not need to go to hospital.

The building is about a kilometre away from the airport’s main passenger terminal. A spokesman for the Kennemerland local safety board said there was no risk to public health.

A spokesman for the Dutch border police force said an investigation was under way to trace the owner of the suitcase.