Iran's former central bank chief arrested on suspicion of money laundering

Iran's former Central Bank boss is thought to have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering

A man arrested by custom officers trying to enter Germany with a cheque worth 44.5 million pounds ($70 million)  is believed to be Iran's former central bank chief.

According to a German newspaper, customs officers at Duesseldorf Airport allegedly found the cheque in Tahmasb Mazaheri's luggage on January 21 upon his arrival from Turkey.

German customs issued a statement on Friday saying a cheque for 300 million bolivars issued by the Bank of Venezuela was found on an unnamed 59-year-old man, the Daily Mail reports.

Neither customs nor Iran's embassy could be reached for comment last night.

Mazaheri was the governor of the Central Bank of Iran until 2008, the report said.

Newspaper Bild am Sonntag said German police and customs were investigating possible money laundering, it added.