$832,000 hidden in spare tire, cookie boxes
by Sergio Chapa
Posted: 07.12.2010 at 6:47 PM


Federal officials are investigating how a Matamoros man ended up with $832,000 dollars inside his truck's spare tire and two cookie boxes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested Edgar Eduardo Garcia-Gonzalez on federal bulk cash smuggling charge on Friday.

Court records released Monday show the 33-year-old Matamoros man headed to Mexico at Brownsville's B&M International Bridge when he was stopped for outbound inspection.

Customs officers allegedly found 24 packages with $832,360 dollars in cash inside his pickup truck's spare tire and two boxes of cookies.

U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are now investigating the case.

Garcia-Gonzalez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Morgan on Monday morning.

Court records show that Garcia-Gonzalez is a Mexican citizen from Matamoros.

Judge Morgan denied bond for Garcia-Gonzalez until a Thursday afternoon hearing.


http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=481810