Nogales, Sonora — National Guard have arrested three Americans for trying to enter Mexico with undeclared cash. The Arizona trio were found crossing the Nogales border Saturday with more than $30,000 USD.
Their arrests happened over the weekend when they were pulled over from the ‘nothing to declare’ lane at the Sonora Customs Agency. During a vehicle inspection, agents found the cash stash and no legal declaration to bring it into the country.
“In compliance with the National Security Strategy of the Government of Mexico, National Guard (GN), with the support of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), detained three people who attempted to enter the country with more than $30,000 in cash, equivalent to approximately 640,000 pesos, without declaring it to the corresponding authority,” Guardia Nacional said in a statement.
The Arizona-plated van was pulled over when the driver was given a red traffic light in the ‘nothing to declare’ lane “meaning he was subject to a customs inspection,” they said.
“The vehicle, coming from Arizona and bound for Navojoa, Sonora, was driven by a man with two women passengers, were told that an inspection would be carried out to ensure that they did not enter the country with undeclared merchandise or objects that could constitute a crime.
“During the inspection, agents located a total of $30,300 USD dollars in cash in different places inside the van, equivalent to more than 640,000 pesos, money that lacked the declaration approved by the Tax Administration Service (SAT).
“The three people were arrested for violating Article 9 of the Customs Law, for which they were read the Booklet of Rights of Persons in Detention and were registered in the National Registry of Detentions. Together with the cash, they were made available to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s office,” Guardia Nacional explained.
The National Guard and ANAM reaffirm their commitment to fulfill the tasks entrusted to them to inhibit corruption and tax evasion in strict adherence to the rule of law.