U.S. CUSTOMS CRACKS DOWN ON CURRENCY SMUGGLING

U.S. CUSTOMS CRACKS DOWN ON CURRENCY SMUGGLING    U.S. Customs Service said a six-week investigative effort to thwart outbound currency smuggling netted 262 currency seizures of more than $11.3 million and 194 arrests.
   The program, called “Operation Powerplay,” targeted air, sea and land passengers, air cargo, sea cargo, courier hubs, courier bags, inbound mail facilities and land borders.
   Significant seizures included $528,908 from express courier hubs, $504,712 at the Hidalgo, Texas port of entry, $399,840 at Chicago's O'Hare Airport, $378,755 from an express courier destined for Israel, and $38,910 at the San Ysidro, Calif. port of entry.
   Customs said that 38 percent of the seizures occurred at airports, 27 percent at land borders, 21 percent from couriers, 13 percent as a result of investigations and 1 percent from seaports. More than half of the seized cash was destined for Mexico, Israel, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Jamaica.
   Customs officers found bulk cash shipments stashed in automobiles, trailers, bicycle tires, food products, stereo equipment, luggage and internal body carriers. The officials used dogs specially trained to sniff out cash and x-ray technology to scan cargo and containers.
   Customs also initiated 173 investigations as a result of the leads generated from the operation. Customs inspectors also discovered 140 export violations and recovered 35 stolen vehicles.