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Published Thursday, February 4, 2021
U.S. citizen accused of hiding in
luggage $83,000-plus in checks
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
On Wednesday, police officers from the Juan Santamaría International Airport, in Alajuela Province, arrested a U.S. citizen arriving in the country by air. He is suspected of hiding several checks in his luggage.
According to the police report, during a routine inspection of the tourist's luggage, the officers found 55 checks valued between $1,500 and $2,000 each, totaling $83,600.
The international suspect did not report to immigration officials the checks he was carrying in his luggage.
Due to the finding of the checks, the officers proceeded to carry out a more detailed search of the luggage with the use of a K-9 and the K-9 agent from the Judicial Investigation Organization.
The police did not provide the suspect's name.
Agents seized the checks and $1,070 that the expat was carrying in cash.
According to Law 8204 called "Law on narcotics, psychotropic substances, drugs for unauthorized use, activities related to money laundering and terrorist financing," everybody must declare the money and any type of assets they are carrying when they enter the country.
The law states that, "When entering or leaving the country, every person, national or foreign, will be obliged to declare the cash or securities that they carry, if the amount is equal to or higher than $10,000 or it's equivalent in another currency."
Travelers must declare money over $10,000 to customs workers at an immigration post.
By law, non-compliance will end in holding the suspect responsible and the immediate loss of money or values as a penalty.
The money or securities seized are delivered to the Costa Rican Institute on Drugs, to finance its operations.
Arrest footage of the U.S. citizen suspect and footage of his luggage inspection was published by the Ministry of Security on their Facebook page.
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Have you heard of expats having trouble at airport checkpoints? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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