September 3, 09

NEWS / CBP Officers Stop $30,000 in Undeclared Currency from Leaving the U.S. for Mexico

San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting southbound operations at the Otay Mesa port of entry Monday night stopped a 38-year-old man wanted for robbery and a 17-year-old girl from leaving the country with $30,000. This is the eleventh southbound currency seizure along the California/Mexico border since August 1.

At about 10:30 p.m., officers conducting southbound operations along the I-905 south stopped a 1996 Acura sedan. During questioning with the CBP officer, the driver, a 17-year-old female Mexican citizen, and resident of Downey, Calif., declared that they were carrying $2,000 in the vehicle, headed to Mexico.


Upon further inspection, officers discovered packages of money inside their luggage, and additional currency stowed on the passenger, a 38-year-old male legal permanent resident, totaling $30,000.


During fingerprinting, officers discovered that the male passenger also had a warrant for his arrest, issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, for robbery.


The declared $2,000 was returned to the girl, who was released to the custody of a relative. The man is currently being held at the San Diego County Jail.


Since August 1 of this year, CBP officers at the ports of entry along the California/Mexico border have stopped 11 southbound currency violations, stopping a total of $465,438 from leaving the United States, bound for Mexico.


It is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling more than $10,000 to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/09022009_3.xml