387K in undeclared currency seized at Hidalgo port of entry
HIDALGO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — One man was arrested for hiding a “significant amount” of unreported currency during a port of entry inspection, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced.
Mexican national Alexis Barragan Valle, 30, was arrested Monday at the Hidalgo International Bridge for hiding unreported U.S. currency while crossing into the United States.
Barragan Valle claimed to be traveling from McAllen to Reynosa through the Hidalgo International Bridge when a CBP officer referred him for a second inspection.
CBP officers discovered stacks of 20, 50 and 100 U.S. dollar bills totaling to $387,000 concealed within laundry detergent boxes within Barragan Valle’s vehicle.
“It is not a crime to carry more than 10,000, but it is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or more to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S.,” CBP stated in a press release.
Barragan Valle was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations who initiated a criminal investigation into the case. The $387,000 was seized by CBP.
Barragan Valle made his initial appearance in court Tuesday and has a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, according to federal records.
