San Ysidro - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro port of entry over the weekend made three currency seizures totaling $56,642 and stopped a man with $73,700 worth of counterfeit cashier's checks from leaving the country.
The first seizure occurred Friday morning, January 22 at about 9 a.m. after CBP officers pulled aside a 24-year-old man on his way into Mexico as a pedestrian. Officers searched the man and discovered bundles of money in his front pockets and in a duffel bag totaling $29,042.
The man, a U.S. citizen from San Jose, Calif., was arrested and transported to the Metropolitan Correctional Center. CBP confiscated the undeclared money.
A few hours later at about noon, officer's encountered three U.S. citizens, two females ages 16 and 21, and an 18-year-old male traveling together. The three were attempting to walk into Mexico and upon further inspection, officers discovered large amounts of money in the man's right pocket and in the purses of the females.
CBP seized a total of $13,600 of undeclared currency from the three individuals.
On Saturday evening at 9:30 p.m. officers conducting southbound operations along the I-5 south, stopped a bus and inspected its passengers. They encountered a 35-year-old Mexican male passenger and upon searching him, officer's found money in his coat pockets and wallet.
CBP officers seized $14,000 of undeclared currency.
On Sunday at 1:30 p.m., officers targeted a 46-year-old man in route to Mexico as a pedestrian. During the course of their inspection, officer's found several identity documents issued in different names but bearing the subjects likeness. They also found on his possession $73,700 worth of counterfeit cashier's checks issued to several people.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested the man, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, charging him with Identity and Benefits Fraud. CBP seized the cashier's checks.
The four southbound seizures occurred from 6 a.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday.
In addition, officers recovered a stolen laptop and two stolen vehicles.