US Border Patrol, FURA Intercept Vessel with over $300K in Bulk Cash
US. Border Patrol and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces for Rapid Action (FURA, for its Spanish acronym) agents intercepted Wednesday an outbound 18 -ft vessel where four men transported over $300,000 in bulk cash, weapons and ammunition.
“One of the most important activities of a Border Patrol agent is line watch, which involves the detection, prevention and apprehension of smugglers at or near the coastal border by maintaining surveillance from a covert position,” stated Scott Garrett, Acting Chief Patrol Agent for the Ramey Border Patrol Sector. “This interception demonstrates that Transnational Criminal Organizations will try any means to go across international borders trying to elude detection.”
On Mar.2, Ramey Station agents detected an outbound vessel four miles from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico without navigational lights. Agents contacted a FURA marine unit and coordinated a successful intercept.
Border Patrol agents arrested three non-citizens from the Dominican Republic along with one United States Citizen. Agents seized $349, 950.00 in US currency, the 18-ft red homemade vessel, two outboard engines, 2 firearms, 3 magazines, 71 rounds of ammunition, one tablet, one GPS and two cellular phones.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assumed custody of contraband and the individuals for investigation and prosecution.
