Nogales, Ariz. — A 52-year-old male Mexican national was arrested Thursday for allegedly attempting to smuggle $229,838 in unreported U.S. currency into Mexico through the Dennis DeConcini Port.
Officers conducting outbound inspections Thursday selected a vehicle driven by Roberto Federico-Martinez for a secondary inspection and found 21 packages of unreported currency hidden in the gas tank. The vehicle and cash were processed for seizure. Federico was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Individuals arrested may be charged by complaint, the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity, which raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CBP’s Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation’s food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.
