C.B.P. News Release

More Fake Checks, Money Orders Seized by Philadelphia CBP

(Thursday, September 04, 2008)

Philadelphia - In a move that would make even the best of NFL All Pro cornerbacks jealous, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Express Mail Consignment facility in Philadelphia recorded yet two more prized interceptions recently, a fake bank check with a face value of $40,000 on Tuesday, and 125 fake checks and money orders with a face value of $172,210 on August 21.

The Tuesday seizure was in a parcel manifested as documents, but CBP officers located a $40,000 bank check which bank officials confirmed to be fraudulent. The seizure on August 21 was in a parcel manifested as letters, but during an inspection, CBP officers located 98 money orders totaling $79,870, and 27 bank checks totaling $92,340. Phone calls to each financial institution confirmed that the monetary instruments were indeed fraudulent. CBP officers seized the fake checks and money orders.

So far during Fiscal Year 2008, which is from Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008, CBP officers at the Express Mail Consignment facility have made 20 seizures of counterfeit monetary instruments with a face value of $428,110. These seizures consisted of 45 checks written for a total of $306,840; 144 money orders written for a total of $117,270; and 40 counterfeit $100 bills totaling $4,000.

As do NFL playmakers, these CBP officers have been filling the stat sheet as of late.

During the last six weeks, CBP officers at the Express Mail Consignment facility near Philadelphia International Airport have seized 17 parcels that collectively contained 63 pounds of Khat

(a Schedule I narcotic), 6.750 liters of Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL, a precursor chemical to make the “date rapeâ€