News Americas, SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Fri. Oct. 3, 2014: More than million US dollars were nabbed aboard a truck leaving Puerto Rico en route to the Dominican Republic onboard M/V Caribbean Fantasy ferry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers say.
The money was discovered after CBP personnel selected a truck with Puerto Rico license plates for an intensive examination after a preliminary non-intrusive inspection revealed certain anomalies.
Subsequently 22 bundles of hidden US Currency that ended up totaling a whopping $2,044,375, were discovered in hidden compartments inside the truck.
CBP officers seized the currency and took custody of the driver. He was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE- HSI) special agents in connection with the failed smuggling attempt and the US Attorney’s Office accepted the case for federal prosecution.
“The unreported cash that we seized has an impact on the criminal organizations by making it more difficult for them to further their illicit activities,” said Juan Hurtado, San Juan Area port director.
Individuals are permitted to carry any amount of currency or monetary instruments into or out of the U.S. However, if the quantity is $10,000 or higher, they must formally report the currency to CBP. Failure to report may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest.
