PBH / Colombia / Forums (active) Travelguide Cheap hostels Pictures

Colombian and Mexican customs agents in one week this month seized more than $41 million in cash

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/28/AR2009...

Nation Digest
Tuesday, September 29, 2009

CUS TOMS

U.S. Says Millions Were Seized From Smugglers

U.S., Colombian and Mexican customs agents in one week this month seized more than $41 million in cash being smuggled between the ports of Manzanillo, Mexico, and Buenaventura, Colombia, officials said Monday.

It is the largest seizure ever by Colombia or the United States, said John Morton, assistant secretary of homeland security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The two ports are key hubs in a well-known cocaine-trafficking route, and an investigation is ongoing, ICE said in a statement.

Agents uncovered three shipments of roughly $11 million each on Sept. 9, 10 and 11, opening cargo containers aboard a ship bound from Manzanillo to Buenaventura and searching containers and vessels in Buenaventura and at Manzanillo, officials said. Authorities seized $7 million more on Sept. 14 and Sept. 18 in containers originating from or arriving in Manzanillo.

Currency in $20, $50 and $100 denominations was concealed in bags or shipping containers holding or labeled as holding industrial chemicals, ICE said.

-- Spencer S. Hsu

By mariacvetanoski on Sep 29, 2009, 14:44 in Politics & the war.

mariacvetanoski says on Sep 29, 2009, 14:44:

watch the video:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&source=hp&q=colombia news&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Fn3CSqzSNpentge8vbj1BA&sa=X&oi=news_group&ct=title&resnum=1

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mariacvetanoski says on Sep 29, 2009, 14:49:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8279446.stm

Agents make record cash seizure

The cash was hidden in bags of industrial chemicals
Customs agents from the US, Mexico and Colombia have confiscated about $41m (£26m) in cash.

The money, thought to belong to drug gangs, was found hidden in shipping containers at the ports of Manzanillo in Mexico and Buenaventura in Colombia.

The two ports are regularly used by drug traffickers to channel cocaine to the US and cash from drug sales back to the gangs' headquarters in Colombia.

It is one of the biggest ever cash seizures of its kind, officials said.

Chemicals

A total of about $41m in cash was seized in five separate raids last month.

On 9 September, Colombian customs officials aided by local police found $11.2m in two shipping containers on a boat bound for Buenaventura.

The cash was hidden in bags filled with ammonium sulphate, a chemical used to make fertiliser.

A further $11.2m was seized on 10 September, also in Colombia, and $11m of cash hidden in containers containing sodium sulphate was found on 11 September in Manzanillo by US customs agents.

On 14 September, US agents confiscated $5m in Buenaventura, and on 18 September $2.15m was taken in Manzanillo.

"This seizure... has surely put a dent in the illegal activities of the individuals involved," said John Morton, Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) at the US Department of Homeland Security.

No arrests have yet been made as a result of the seizure, but the investigation is ongoing.

Officials are operating under a "strong suspicion" that the cash belonged to drug traffickers.

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

vallenato says on Sep 29, 2009, 18:34:

I hope they don't "accidentally" misplace the seized money this time.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ayjaybee says on Sep 29, 2009, 20:19:

Question: What do they do with all the money after they seize it? As crappy as the economy is there has to be some way it could be put to use other than sitting in an evidence locker. Personally I think it could be a big boost to our education system, especially the ones in poverty stricken areas, or maybe even programs that give kids something to do other than drugs.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Sep 29, 2009, 22:18:

Eventually some of the money ends up in General Revenue, after every politician and administrator/Big Man takes his cut.

Nice to see something actually happened in Manzanillo-god almighty is that place a boring dump.

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.