Oceanside, CA–U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents arrested a woman in North County San Diego on July 13 who had 37 bundles of U.S. currency stashed inside her vehicle.
At approximately 3 p.m., USBP agents on Interstate 5 observed a suspicious vehicle near Oceanside. Initiating a stop, the agents questioned the 46-year-old female driver and requested permission to search her 2012 Toyota Prius. Searching the back-seat area, agents found dozens of cellophane-wrapped currency bundles concealed inside the doors.
Agents arrested the woman, who was a U.S. citizen, for suspicion of bulk currency smuggling. Both the vehicle and currency were seized.
A later count of the currency amounted to $414,000. Homeland Security Investigations took custody of the woman and currency. The woman now faces criminal prosecution for currency smuggling. The vehicle was seized by USBP.
