"Our friend in hospital has some questions to answer once he is released." The man was in Australia on a student visa, but investigators do not yet know where or what the man was studying. Two men - Li Wang, 26 and Yu Xiang, 25 - pleaded guilty to dealing with property suspected as the proceeds of crime after they arrived at Central Station in April allegedly carrying two suitcases with $2 million in cash. What is known in this case is that the unlocked suitcase was "full" of genuine, used Australian currency in various denominations, as well as personal items and identification documents, acting Superintendent Pryde said. Both the cash and the documents were being analysed by police. While police have not said exactly how much cash was in the suitcase, witnesses said there was possibly "$1 million".

Specialist officers from the Asian Crime Squad and the Australian Crime Commission - a national criminal intelligence and investigation agency that combats organised crime, the drug trade and money laundering - are now involved in the case. The man, dressed in a yellow singlet and board shorts, walked into Caffe Marco in Burwood just after 8am and was carrying the suitcase. The staff member who served the man told smh.com.au she approached him to ask if he wanted a coffee. "He just say 'yes, yes' or something silly like that," the woman, who did not give her name, said. "But before I got it to him he just left the suitcase and walked out ... He didn't even stay five minutes."

She said she had never seen the man nor served him before. Inspector David Cottee from Burwood Local Area Command also confirmed the man was reported to have asked where the nearest payphone was and that he rummaged around in a customer's bag as he walked out of the cafe. The man was spotted at Summer Hill yesterday afternoon and taken to Burwood police station. He was already looking ill at that time, acting Superintendent Pryde said. "He didn't present very well when he was here so what we did is we arranged for an ambulance to attend and then he was taken to hospital for treatment."

Staff at the Concord Repatriation General Hospital said they could not comment on the man's condition as it was a police matter. Acting Superintendent Pryde said the case was unusual. "I don't carry that much around with me. Do you?" he said. "I think most of us are just happy to have $20 in our wallet." Inspector Cottee said it was not clear if this case was related to the April arrests, but that investigators were looking at whether it was "part of a large criminal enterprise". Caffe Marco owner Hala, who did not want her last name published, was waiting on tables during the morning rush when the man entered the shop carrying a shoulder bag and dragging a black suitcase.

He sat at a small wooden table at the back of the room and appeared highly agitated. "I said to my husband [George]: 'There's something wrong with this man.' He was acting worried," Hala said. "He was sitting on the edge of his chair, he was not comfortable." The man left the cafe soon afterwards, leaving his suitcase behind. The couple deliberated over what to do with it.

"I didn't know what was on the bag, I thought maybe he stole something or there is a bomb in there. So we called the police," Hala said. "[My husband] said: 'I'm taking it outside. If it's a bomb, better it goes off outside.'" Customers remained largely oblivious to the unfolding drama, as George dragged the bag out of the shop and down a side street. "Nobody really noticed … [but] I was really scared in case the bomb went off. It's a scary feeling," Hala said. Loading

Police soon descended on the scene, donning gloves and prising open the bag to reveal wads of cash inside. - with Nicole Hasham