The public prosecution department confiscated €303m in criminal assets last year, of which almost a third was cash money, the justice ministry agency said on Thursday.

In addition, the department issued sequestration orders for a further €184m in funds which was being held abroad.

In total, €10m in cash was found hidden in cars

‘Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, criminals are finding it harder to use cash-intensive companies to dispose of their money, such as cafes and bars, markets and personal services like hair dressers and nail salons, and launderettes,’ said spokeswoman Anita van Dis.

‘Moving cash abroad has also become more difficult, as has organising transport. And at the same time, the department is better at finding criminal cash.’

The department also sequestered €8.2m in crypto currencies, compared with €1.1m in 2019. ‘There has been a sharp increase in the types of crime which involves misusing crypto currencies’ she said.