TAXAS: US Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas arrested a man and a woman from Bryan, Texas for allegedly failing to report a total of $223,371 in U.S. currency as they attempted to enter into Mexico.
“This was certainly an outstanding interception of U.S. currency that was headed into Mexico without being properly declared,” said Port Director Petra Horne, Brownsville Port of Entry. “There are many reasons why travelers decline to declare currency being exported into Mexico, but previous experience indicates that usually it does not involve legitimate activities.”
CBP officers working outbound operations at Brownsville’s Gateway International Bridge encountered a 23-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man, both U.S. citizens from Bryan, as they attempted to exit into Mexico as pedestrians. Officers referred the couple for a secondary examination after noting discrepancies during their initial encounter and it was there that packets of U.S. currency were discovered hidden on their person. CBP OFO removed and seized 44 packets totaling $38,076 from the female and $85,365 in 22 packets from the male.
CBP-OFO arrested the man and woman and ultimately released them to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation. HSI continued their investigation, which led to the discovery and seizure by HSI agents of an additional $100,000 in unreported currency in a vehicle associated with the couple.
CBP’s Brownsville Port of Entry is part of the South Texas Campaign, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.
