Federal Agents Seize $40 Mil From U.S./Mexico Border

Miri Marshall-Weekend Anchor/Weathercaster/News Reporter
Posted: 8:13 pm MST November 6, 2009
Updated: 9:53 pm MST November 6, 2009

EL PASO, Texas -- Federal agents said they have seized $40 million in unclaimed cash and nearly 600 weapons from people trying to take it into Mexico. The money is nearly 50 percent more than what agents collected last fiscal year.

"The normal route is, you know, drugs coming in, money and guns going out," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Roger Maier.

The cash and weapons seizures took place along the Southwest U.S. Mexico border from March to September. Maier said three federal agencies worked together in an enhanced emphasis placed on searching vehicles leaving the country that may be smuggling unreported currency or weapons.

"The results have been positive to this point for Customs and Border Protection, ICE and ATF," Maier said.

The efforts have also paid off in El Paso where CBP officers seized more than $1 million unreported money in September.

But where does the money go?

"Those funds generally go into the U.S. Treasury Department forfeiture fund and then it's put back into law enforcement for various purposes."

KFOX reporter Miri Marshall called U.S. Treasury to find out exactly where officials send the money that is confiscated. Marshall spoke with someone in the office, but was not able to get the specific information in time for this story.

It is not illegal to bring a large amount of money in cash over the border.

However, "they need to report that to Customs and Border Protection," Maier said.

A red flag usually goes off when someone tries to cross the border with $10,000 or more in cash or in some cases, checks and money orders.

Federal law states that if you transport or attempt to transport money exceeding $10,000 from the U.S. into or from a foreign country you must file a report with U.S. Custom and Border Protection.

This goes for money, traveler checks in any form, checks, promissory notes and money orders that are in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out ot a fictitious payee or otherwise in a form that can be transferred to another person.

by KFOXTV.com .

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/21546916/detail.html