A Transsexual prostitute was stopped at Belfast City Airport with earnings of £14,000 hidden around his body, a court heard yesterday.

Malaysian national Nor Azmi Bin Mohammad (31) was said to have been charging clients €350 an hour for his services while working in Northern Ireland.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall granted a forfeiture order for the seized cash after hearing he did not have legal immigration status.

A PSNI lawyer, who made the application at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, said the money was “tainted with unlawfulness”.

Barrister Tony Smith said Mohammad, who did not attend the hearing, was interviewed after being stopped at the airport on Wednesday and admitted being a transsexual prostitute.

“Whilst there’s nothing illegal in that in itself, further inquiries indicated that Mr Mohammad was an illegal entrant to the country,” Mr Smith said.

A detective constable revealed the cash — a mixture of sterling, euros and dollars — had been “secreted about his person”.

Mohammad was detained as he went through the central search area and taken in for questioning, the court was told.

The officer said police believed all the money was obtained through services provided by Mohammad, who was allegedly returning to the UK from working in Ireland. Notebooks and journals also seized from him included a hand-written diary and itinerary of future liaisons, according to the detective.

He added that Mohammad allegedly disclosed that his services cost €350 an hour.

After being released by immigration services on Wednesday, Mohammad was said to have gone back to the airport.

The court heard that a police officer who met him and discussed the court proceedings was told he would not be returning to contest the application.

Granting the order, Mrs Bagnall said: “Because of his illegal status any monies which have been obtained are illegal.”