LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Richard Pauza,

 EAGLE PASS, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry this weekend apprehended a Ft. Worth man wanted on an outstanding warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child and seized $67,000 in undeclared currency in two separate enforcement actions.

 The fugitive arrest occurred on Aug. 22 during an outbound inspection at Bridge II. A CBP officer referred a 1999 GMC Safari driven by Rafael Aguilar, a 34-year-old Mexican citizen from Ft. Worth , Texas , for a secondary inspection. During the inspection, CBP officers noted Aguilar had no documentation indicating his citizenship. A query of a national law enforcement database indicated Aguilar had a possible outstanding warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child from Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department. CBP officers confirmed the warrant was active and turned Aguilar over to the custody of Maverick County sheriff’s deputies who adjudicated the warrant.  

 Also on Aug. 22, CBP officers, Border Patrol agents and Maverick County sheriff’s deputies were conducting outbound inspections at Bridge II and referred a 2001 GMC Yukon driven by Hilda Garcia de Aguillon, 39, a Mexican citizen from Dallas for an outbound examination. During the examination, CBP officers noted discrepancies in the radiator area. CBP Canine “ Africa ” alerted to the front part of the vehicle and a non-intrusive imaging system scan indicated anomalies in the same location. An intensive examination revealed a total of three packages in the radiator area containing a total of $67,000 in currency.  CBP officers arrested Garcia de Aguillon and turned her over to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents who processed the driver on federal bulk cash smuggling charges,

 “The vigilance of our officers and their close working relationship with Border Patrol agents and Maverick County sheriff’s deputies were key factors that lead to two significant outbound enforcement actions,” said John Salazar, CBP Port Director, Eagle Pass. “Our officers are working hard to keep the border safe and advance the CBP mission.”

 Individuals are permitted to carry any amount of currency or monetary instruments into or out of the U.S. However, if the quantity is $10,000 or higher, they must formally report the currency to CBP. Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest. An individual may petition for the return of currency seized by CBP officers, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.