Border Agents Find Over Three-Quarters Of A Million Dollars Hidden In Spare Tire Of Truck

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents recently confiscated more than three-quarters of a million dollars after they found it stuffed in the spare tire of a pickup truck.

“On July 10, at approximately 4:02 p.m., CBP officers performing outbound operations at the Calexico East Port of Entry encountered a 35-year-old man driving a 2024 pickup truck traveling southbound into Mexico from the United States,” a CBP press release reads.

The money was found when the truck, a GMC Sierra driven by Malcolm Angel Tapia-Llopis and headed for headed to Mexicali, Mexico, was pulled over for a secondary examination.

According to Julian Resendiz of Border Report, “Border officers utilized the advanced ‘Z Portal’ – an x-ray machine that produces a six-sided image of a solid object – and successfully detected anomalies in the spare tire of the pickup. This led to the discovery of several vacuum-sealed green cellophane bundles containing $756,980 in cash.”

US Customs and Border Protection

When a CBP officer asked Tapia-Llopis and his passenger Edith Olivia Valenzuela if they had anything to declare before the inspection occurred, both reportedly told the agent, “No.”

“This discovery underscores the ongoing efforts of our dedicated CBP officers to enforce federal regulations and prevent illicit activities,” said Roque Caza, Port Director for the Area Port of Calexico.” We remain committed to safeguarding our nation’s borders and maintaining the integrity of our country’s economic security.”

While it is not a crime to carry more than $10,000 when crossing the border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that it is a violation of “a federal offense to not declare currency or monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or more to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements.”

The driver and his passenger are now scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing July 25 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lupe Rodriguez Jr. of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

This seizure comes on the heels of another bust made earlier this month that resulted in the seizure of $103,500 in cash by USBP agents in El Centro, Calif. and CBP Officers at the Andrade Port of Entry.