Nogales, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stopped the illegal exportation of more than $735,000 while screening traffic going into Mexico.
These bundles hold a total of $125,000 that was intercepted by CBP officers.
On Sept. 13, at approximately about 8 p.m., CBP officers were screening traffic going into Mexico as part of southbound operations. The officers selected a Dodge Attitude driven by a 30-year-old man from Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico for inspection. CBP officers searched the vehicle and discovered several bundles of money hidden in the passenger side door. The search resulted in 14 bundles of U.S. currency totaling more than $350,000.
A few minutes later, CBP officers stopped a Mazda MPV being driven by a 61-year-old man from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico for inspection. A vehicle search revealed several bundles of money hidden in the passenger side door. The search resulted in seven bundles of U.S. currency totaling more than $125,000.
Earlier in the month, CBP officers conducted two other seizures. The first seizure was being taken out of the country strapped to a California woman’s body totaling more than $64,000. The other seizure was more than $196,000 being smuggled into Mexico by a Phoenix, Ariz. man. The currency was concealed in the spare tire of the vehicle he was operating.
In all cases, CBP Officers seized the illegal currency and vehicles. All violators were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further questioning.
Officers found $350,000 hidden inside this car door during outbound inspections
A criminal complaint is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP is responsible for securing our borders at the ports of entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers’ primary mission is anti-terrorism; they screen all people, vehicles, and goods entering the United States, while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel into and out of the United States. Their mission also includes carrying out traditional border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration law, protecting the nation’s food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases, and enforcing trade laws.
While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection process at the ports of entry associated with this mission results in impressive numbers of enforcement actions in all categories.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
