A Wahgunyah man has pleaded with a magistrate to have $1600 seized from him by police returned because of his financial difficulties.
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That came as Ewan Hamilton told Albury Local Court he intended to plead not guilty to a charge laid over the money.
Police have alleged that the cash "may be reasonably suspected of being stolen or otherwise unlawfully obtained".
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That was contained in a charge of unlawfully obtain goods.
Hamilton's arrest came at the border checkpoint in Wodonga Place, South Albury, on August 4.
As a result of this, Hamilton was also charged with failing to comply with a noticed direction in relation to COVID-19, plus a third charge of custody of a knife in a public place.
He was pulled over at the checkpoint just after 6pm.
Hamilton, 36, will also contest these two charges.
He asked magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim whether there was anything he could do to get the $1600 back.
Hamilton said he was on his way to pay a bill related to his business at the time he was pulled over.
He said that because he had not been able to pay the bill, he now had "creditors pursuing me" in order to settle the debt.
Hamilton said not having the cash was an unnecessary impost on him in running a small business.
But Mr Abdul-Karim said the money could not be returned to Hamilton while the allegations against him were before the court.
Hamilton would have to wait until the case was finalised and would be able to have the money returned only if he was cleared of the goods in custody charge.
The allegations against Hamilton, who represented himself, will be contested at a hearing before the court at a later date.
