CBP Officers Uncover Massive Cash Stash During Routine Stop

A vehicle was apprehended along the U.S. border in Laredo after officers discovered over a quarter of a million dollars in unreported currency hidden inside.

Female Driver Arrested in Laredo

On April 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry stopped a Dodge Journey for routine inspection. The driver, a 46-year-old female Mexican citizen, was sent to secondary inspection. During the inspection, police used non-intrusive technology to discover a total of $272,940 in U.S. currency hidden under the vehicle floor.

The cash was all unreported, and therefore was seized by Homeland Security Investigations, along with the vehicle.

Laredo Port Director Albert Flores clarified the danger of letting illegal goods like these slip into the community:

Bulk cash seizures like these, often proceeds from illicit activity, directly impact the pocketbook of foreign terror organizations and deprive them of the ability to profit from such activity.

Federal Law Against Carrying Cash

U.S. law does not forbid carrying more than $10,000 in cash, but it's a federal offense when the money is being transported across international lines and is not declared.

Failure to declare large cash sums can result in their seizure or even arrest. In order to declare money in bulk, you must first prove that the source and intended use of the currency is legitimate.