CBP Seizes More than $60,000 from Bus Passenger

January 20, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting southbound operations at the San Ysidro port of entry arrested a Tijuana man after they discovered $60,139 of undeclared money in his possession. Yesterday morning at about 10 a.m., officers conducting southbound inspections along

the I-5 south, stopped a bus headed to Mexico and inspected the conveyance and its passengers. CBP officers encountered a 42-year-old male Mexican citizen and upon further inspection discovered large bundles of U.S. currency in both front pant pockets.

The man was arrested and is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on bulk cash smuggling charges. CBP seized the money.

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.