MADRID (AFP) — Spanish police briefly detained a drunk British man Wednesday who was handing out money to strangers at the airport at Palma de Mallorca after arriving on a flight from Manchester, police said.
The man, identified only as 59-year-old James B.N., laughed constantly as he distributed the bills and did not seem aware of what he was doing, police said. He had an unkempt appearance and his pants were soiled by urine.
The Briton was carrying 50,000 euros (70,000 dollars) in travelers' cheques and another 2,000 euros in cash at the time. Police did not say how much money the man distributed before he was detained.
Police said he acquired the money from an inheritance. After confirming that he had obtained the money legally and contacting the British consulate, police put him on a return flight to Britain.
The airport at Palma on Spain's Balearic Islands is the country's third-busiest in terms of passenger traffic. A total of 22.8 million passengers passed through it last year, according to airport operator AENA.
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