A customs official speaking on condition of anonymity told Arab News that the minister could be involved in money laundering.

“Monserrate might have been under the impression that being a Cabinet minister of Goa and having a diplomatic passport, he could carry cash using diplomatic immunity and thus did not expect the Indian customs officials to search his baggage and arrest him,” another customs official said.

According to customs sources, Monserrate would be thoroughly interrogated, his travel documents scrutinized minutely and passport would be impounded, pending further investigations.