Authorities Confiscate 114 Thousand Dollars Not Declared In Customs

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

An American was detained by CBP agents when they discovered the hidden money

Stacks and packages containing $114,020 in undeclared currency seized by officers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville port of entry recently seized more than $114,000 in undeclared money hidden inside a vehicle during an exit inspection.

"This is the second seizure of more than $100,000 in undeclared currency in South Texas this week and reflects the vigilance and determination of our frontline officers to advance our border security mission," said Michael Reyes, acting director of the Brownsville Port of Entry. "These types of seizures, which often come from illicit activities, have a more direct and financial impact on transnational criminal organizations, negating the profit potential of such activity."

The seizure occurred on Thursday, March 21 at the Free Trade Bridge in Los Indios, when an officer referred a southbound vehicle driven by a 52-year-old U.S. citizen for secondary examination. During the examination, officers used canines and non-intrusive inspection systems and discovered $114,020 in undeclared money hidden inside the vehicle.

CBP agents confiscated the currency. Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested the driver and initiated a criminal investigation.

It is not a crime to carry more than $10,000, but it is a federal crime to fail to declare currency or monetary instruments worth that amount or more to a CBP officer when entering or leaving the United States, or to conceal them conceal them with the intent to evade reporting requirements. 

Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest. An individual can request the return of money seized by CBP officials, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.

El Manaña