US citizen, woman turn over $133,500 in cash to authorities at Mexico airport

Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Posted: 01/01/2012 09:59:04 AM MST

Mexican federal police arrested a U.S. citizen and a woman carrying $133,500 in cash at Chihuahua City international airport, officials said.

Federal police said Rafael Silva, 35, was in a terminal for flights to Tijuana on Wednesday when police checked his luggage and documents during a routine search. Silva, a U.S. citizen, did not have documents to legally be in Mexico, officials said.

Silva was carrying $120,000 in a dozen packs of $10,000 each inside a laptop bag plus an additional $500 and 1,200 pesos (under $100), police said. Silva allegedly did not have an explanation for the money, and he told police a woman had more cash in a vehicle.

In the parking lot, Paulina Ideth Duran Anchondo, 27, was in a car waiting for Silva, officials said. Police found $13,000 plus 15,430 pesos (about $1,200) hidden in the seats of the car, which had Baja California plates.

Silva, Duran, the car and the cash were turned over to federal authorities for further investigation.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_19654495