$874,000 seized at Nogales ports of entry

by Hugh Holub on Aug. 23, 2011

Press Release from US Customs and Border Protection:

Nogales CBP Officers Seize $874,000 in Undeclared Currency over Weekend

NOGALES, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers screening outbound travelers for weapons and illicit currency prevented two separate attempts to smuggle large quantities of cash out of the country over the weekend at the Port of Nogales. Officers seized more than $874,000 and arrested two people.

On Saturday, CBP officers conducting outbound enforcement operations at the Dennis DeConcini Port stopped the driver and occupants of a Chevy Traverse for questioning and vehicle inspection. During the inspection officers discovered 26 packages of U.S. currency hidden inside a compartment built into the vehicle’s firewall area. Officers seized the $494,287 in undeclared currency along with the vehicle. The driver, a 38-year-old man from Mexico, was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

On Sunday, CBP officers conducting outbound enforcement operations at the Mariposa Port stopped the driver and occupants of another Chevy SUV for questioning and vehicle inspection. During the inspection officers discovered 15 packages of U.S. currency hidden inside a compartment built into the vehicle’s firewall area. Officers seized the $379,863 in undeclared currency along with the vehicle. The driver, a 51-year-old man from Mexico, was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

“We are committed to hurting the transnational criminal organizations and disrupting their operations,â€