NewsWhore
06-02-2008, 04:10 PM
US$969,166 in undeclared money being confiscated as it was brought into the country, as reported in Listin and Hoy today. The incident took place at La Romana International Airport, and the pilot of the private plane is currently in custody. Agents of the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA) and the Customs Department (DGA) discovered the money that was left abandoned in several packages in a private twin-engine airplane, registration N3230HJ that landed at 9:15am at LRM from Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico. The authorities say that the money was brought in by Cisnero Antonio Paredes, who left the airport as soon as he noticed the presence of the intelligence agents. The pilot was Sergio Oriolis, an American, who was detained by Customs officers. The DGA also arrested Air Force Major Honorio Acevedo Canela, and accused him of assisting Paredes to escape.
Paredes, a Dominican, is accused of trying to bring the huge sum of money into the country without declaring its origin as required by law. The Air Force major, an air traffic controller based at Portillo airport on the Samana peninsula, apparently tried to sneak Paredes out of a side door of the terminal and pick up the three suitcases without going through the customary checkpoints. Both the airplane and the money have been confiscated by the authorities. Over the last month over two million dollars have been seized under the laws concerning money laundering. DGA director Miguel Cocco recently forecast that more smuggled money would be confiscated and criticized judges for treating suspected drug dealers too leniently.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)
Paredes, a Dominican, is accused of trying to bring the huge sum of money into the country without declaring its origin as required by law. The Air Force major, an air traffic controller based at Portillo airport on the Samana peninsula, apparently tried to sneak Paredes out of a side door of the terminal and pick up the three suitcases without going through the customary checkpoints. Both the airplane and the money have been confiscated by the authorities. Over the last month over two million dollars have been seized under the laws concerning money laundering. DGA director Miguel Cocco recently forecast that more smuggled money would be confiscated and criticized judges for treating suspected drug dealers too leniently.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)