2 Japanese carrying $134 bil worth of U.S. bonds detained in Italy

[David Guyatt]

Thanks to Google translate, you too can laugh at the above Italian announcement in English:

Rome, 4 June 2009

PRESS RELEASE CUSTOMS OFFICE OF COMO SOT CHIASSO OF GUARD AND FINANCE BOND FOR SEQUESTRATION USA 96 BILLION EURO

Officials of the Chamber of Chiasso Operativa Territoriale, in collaboration with the military of the Guardia di Finanza, when controlling for combat illicit trafficking of capital through the railway crossing seized at the international station of Chiasso a significant amount of U.S. securities totaling 134.5 billion dollars, equivalent to a equivalent in euro of more than 96 billion.

The values were owned by two Japanese fifties, fell from a train coming from Italy, at the time of customs claimed to they have nothing to declare. Thorough checking of luggage made it possible to find, hidden on the bottom a suitcase in a compartment separate from that of the garments personal, 249 bond of the "Federal Reserve" American with a nominal value of 500 million each, and 10 "Kennedy Bond" with a nominal value of 1 billion dollars each, as well as a large bank documents in original.

For bonds and documents of interest rates that followed them, also subject to seizure, are currently under investigation to establish authenticity and origin. If the titles were genuine, according to the applicable currency the applicable administrative penalty could reach 38 billion euro, equal to 40% of the amount exceeding the permitted exemption of € 10,000.

With a bit of luck on the Glemorangie front, I, too, might "fell from a train", and if I wake up and have $134.5 billion in strange securities stuffed in my pocket, then I'm going to be buying the next several cases of the Scottish mist...