CBP News Releases

New York Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Currency Smuggler

(Friday, September 19, 2008)
contacts for this news release

Champlain, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the arrest of a Canadian citizen as he attempted to smuggle more than $221,500 out of the United States.

On September 16, CBP officers encountered Donoto Varanese, a 48-year-old Canadian citizen from Montreal, Quebec, as he attempted to leave the United States via the Champlain, N.Y., port of entry. Varanese advised CBP officers that he was in United States delivering a commercial shipment of bison meat to a location in New Jersey and was now returning to Canada empty.

CBP officers obtained a negative outbound declaration for currency and merchandise from Varanese, who reported to CBP that he was in possession of approximately $200 U.S. dollars. Varanese was referred for secondary enforcement exam.

During the course of the secondary interview, the currency reporting requirements were explained to Varanese by CBP. Varanese again reported that he was in possession of only $200. During a search of Varanese’s vehicle, CBP officers discovered a bag located behind the passenger seat, concealed under a blanket and various clothing items. A search of the bag revealed a several bundles of U.S. currency. CBP officers seized the unreported currency, which totaled $221,544. Varanese was arrested and charged with bulk currency smuggling, and was turned over to agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation and prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York.

“Although anti-terrorism remains the primary mission of CBP, we continue to perform our traditional missions, including the interdiction of unreported currency,â€