September 21, 09

NEWS / Border Patrol Seizes Nearly $27,000 During Calif. Vehicle Stop

Blythe, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Blythe, Calif. station seized nearly $27,000 suspected to be connected to narcotics sales early yesterday during a vehicle stop.


Blythe Border Patrol agents stopped a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu on Interstate 10 near Blythe, California. During the vehicle stop, a Border Patrol K-9 team conducted a non-intrusive inspection of the vehicle which resulted in a positive alert. Further investigation revealed $26,918 hidden inside a pair of tennis shoes and a travel bag.


Both the driver and the passenger of the Malibu denied any knowledge of the cash. The money was seized and the driver and passenger of the vehicle were transported to the Blythe Border Patrol Station for further investigation.


Border Patrol canines are trained to detect the odor of narcotics and concealed people. In this case, the canine alerted to an odor consistent with narcotics that was emanating from the cash.


So far this fiscal year, the Yuma Sector Border Patrol has seized a total of $460,488 in undeclared currency.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/09182009_5.xml