San Juan CBP Arrests Most Wanted Bank Robber

Once featured on “Americas Most Wanted” was caught arriving from Venezuela

San Juan, Puerto Rico - Once featured on the popular TV show “Americas Most Wanted,” Walid Hassan Abdulla, was arrested Saturday night by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in San Juan.

Mr. Abdulla applied for admission before a CBP officer after arriving at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport on an American Airlines flight from Caracas.

The inspecting CBP officer referred Mr. Abdulla to secondary inspection where database review confirmed an outstanding warrant for his arrest issued by the U.S. Marshals Service related to a probation violation for a federal conviction for bank robbery.

In 2002 Mr. Abdulla was convicted to serve 97 months in prison by a federal jury in Chicago for aggravated bank robbery related to a 1995 incident in Wheaton, Illinois. His case gained notoriety after being featured in the TV show “Americas Most Wanted” and his eventual arrest by FBI agents in Los Angeles in January, 2000.

The custody of Mr. Abdulla was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for extradition proceedings with the U.S. Marshals Service.

“Customs and Border Protection is an agency committed to securing our borders while at the same time cooperating with other law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of US laws. CBP officers are always vigilant to detect individuals that have broken our laws and attempt to defeat our justice system.” stated Marcelino Borges, Director of Field Operations for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.