A 60–year-old Massachusetts man was arrested at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on Wednesday for failing to declare $40,000 cash.
The suspect was arrested shortly after 4pm in the US Departure Lounge by airport police officers after he failed to declare the money to US Customs and Border Patrol officials.
The suspect is expected to appear in court soon to be formally charged.
In April an American couple was arrested for failing to declare that they were carrying cash in excess of $10,000 into the US, when in fact they were in possession of $26,324.
During their trial, the couple chose to walk free with a warning and forfeit $26,000 in winnings from a casino.
The alternative for 57-year-olds Ritchie and Karen Parotta, of Londonville, New York, was a possible sentence on the charges.
Comments
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrades why do still arrest, fine and jail travelers, local and beginners, with making their legally earned funds or won monies as if they were packing contraband?
B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago
Unfortunately it is a US restriction that we are bound to uphold. Whenever you fill out one of those blue US Customs form, you open yourself up to this risk.
Tarzan 9 years, 9 months ago
Tal: The restrictions relate to "bringing" cash into the U.S. and are not designed to single out the country the traveler is coming from; in this case the Bahamas.
Because U.S. Customs operates inside the Bahamas for commercial flights coming from the Bahamas to the U.S., arrests for carrying undeclared cash in excess of the $10,000 limit, occur in the Bahamas.
The reason for the law is to try to control use of cash in illicit activities such as the drug business and terrorism. There is no law proscribing carrying cash into the U.S., but any traveler, U.S. or otherwise, is required to declare it if he is carrying more than $10,000. If you file the declaration and have a legitimate reason for carrying so much cash, U.S. Customs does not give you any problem. For example: "We won at the gambling tables." might well be a good reason.
There are all kinds of warning signs about the requirement to declare cash in excess of $10,000. at all U.S. Customs entry locations, including those at the Nassau Airport. Anyone who violates this law is very unlikely to be an "innocent". For example, it would not be unreasonable to attribute some bad motives to the couple reported here, who simply abandoned a significant sum, versus going to court to explain the circumstances, no?
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrade familiar what the law's punishment is but doesn't mean we Bahamalander's should be enforcing it, particular if the court has been satisfied that the transporting cash was obtained through lawful means.
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
OK Comrade defenders of this policy. Is Bahamaland remitting to the USA or keeping the seized cash currency? If the fine is not paid, or they are imprisoned as part of their punishment by our courts, at which country's taxpayers expense, are they being Housed at HM Fox Hill Prison?
B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago
Tal...while I have not seen the contracts, I can almost gaurantee that part of the agreements between the US and the Bahamas to facilitate a pre-clearance facility at NAS require the Bahamas to put the people before the courts. Bear in mind that it was very likely a US Customs official alerted to the cash and initiated the whole process of bringing the Bahamian law enforcement officals in to detain and process these people after the fact. I've carried more than 10,000 into the US, it's really quite simple, you declare it, fill out a form, and just as fast as you fill out a form and answer a couple questions you are on your way, with your cash in hand. To be secretive about it simply raises the alarm bells.
ayatollah 9 years, 9 months ago
That's because the u.s. are serious about collecting there cash unlike my 3rd world country
sheeprunner12 9 years, 9 months ago
Yep .................. it seems to boil down to US citizens who are reluctant to declare legal casino winnings (i.e. tax evasion).............. or deliberate illegal transactions conducted here. In any case, we just have to do what Uncle Sam requires ............... don't sweat it, its just US LAW
crabman 9 years, 9 months ago
Morons
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