Customs officers seize more than $724,000 in smuggling attempts

Daily Star June 1, 2010 4:46 pm

Customs and Border Protection officers stopped three currency smuggling attempts at the Nogales Port of Entry in the past several weeks, officials said.

The total cash seized was about $724,000, the agency said in a press release.

On May 15, customs officers checking traffic going into Mexico stopped a 2003 GMC Sonoma for inspection. The discovered $400,000 in cash hidden in a spare tire of the vehicle, which was driven by a 33-year-old man from Surprise.

On May 24, officers stopped a Jeep Cherokee being driven into Mexico by a 44-year-old Mexican man. Officers discovered more than $24,000 hidden in the oil pan of the vehicle.

On May 27 officers selected a 2007 Dodge Ram pickup being driven by a 29-year-old man from Tucson for inspection. Officers discovered more than $300,000 concealed in the vehicle.

The cash and vehicles were seized and all three men were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/ ... 002e0.html