More than $750,000 found in gas tank headed into Mexico
This undeclared currency of more than $750,000 was seized at the Calexico downtown Port of Entry on Monday, JULY 15, 2013. (Courtesy photo / July 16, 2013)





By CHELCEY ADAMIStaff WriterImperial Valley Press7:52 p.m. CDT, July 16, 2013

CALEXICO - U.S. Customs and Border Protection found more than $750,000 hidden in a gas tank heading for Mexico at the Calexico downtown Port of Entry Monday morning and arrested a Porterville woman driving the vehicle Monday morning.

Around 10 a.m., officers working with members of the Imperial Valley Border Enforcement Security Task Force were inspecting vehicles in the U.S. headed into Mexico.

Officers targeted a silver 2005 Honda Accord driven by U.S. citizen Irma Leticia Quentin, 24, of Porterville for inspection, and a currency/firearms detector dog alerted to the gas tank area.

Officials found 42 packages of unreported U.S. currency vacuum-sealed in clear plastic bags floating in the gas tank. The money totaled $762,930, and officials found another $221 in U.S. currency on the driver.

CBP officers seized the currency and vehicle while Quentin was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with IV BEST. The San Diego U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute the driver.

IV BEST is an ICE-led task force made up of officers from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

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