Authorities seize millionaire sum of foreign currency at the Las Américas International Airport
In a strategic operation, the General Directorate of Customs, in coordination with airport security agencies, managed to seize a millionaire sum of cash that was being illicitly taken out of the country. The operation took place at the Las Américas International Airport (AILA), where authorities detected a passenger who failed to declare the currency, violating current regulations in the Dominican Republic.
The total amount confiscated amounts to 600,700 US dollars, a figure equivalent to more than 35.9 million Dominican pesos, in addition to 647,000 Colombian pesos. The money was found in the possession of a Colombian national, who intended to board a flight bound for Panama.
Operation details
The action was executed thanks to intelligence work developed in conjunction with the Specialized Corps for Airport and Civil Aviation Security (CESAC) and the Unit for the Prevention and Prosecution of Smuggling and Illicit Trafficking of the Public Ministry. At the time of the inspection, the passenger was carrying most of the cash, some $599,700, hidden in a carry-on bag, while the remaining $1,000 and the Colombian currency were carried in his pockets.
The institution will maintain permanent surveillance at the country’s ports and airports to combat smuggling in general.
General Directorate of Customs
Following the discovery, the individual was arrested and placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to face the corresponding judicial process for the violation of currency control and smuggling laws.
Commitment against smuggling
This seizure is part of a series of decisive actions executed by Customs to secure the Dominican borders. Recently, the entity has achieved significant results in the fight against the illegal trafficking of goods, highlighting recent actions that prevented millionaire fiscal losses:
- Seizure of 4.5 million Jaisalmer brand cigarettes.
- Confiscation of a shipment of 961 televisions of various brands and sizes.
- Recovery of fiscal values exceeding 42.2 million pesos in import taxes.
Alofoke Deportes will continue to follow up on this case and the actions of the authorities to ensure transparency and security at the entry and exit points of the national territory.
