Feds seize over quarter-million dollars at a border bridge in Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An estimated $274,000 in U.S. cash was seized at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Bridge last week, authorities announced Tuesday.

Customs and Border Protection’s Customs officers were inspecting a 2016 GMC for a routine outbound inspection Jan. 20, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and referred the vehicle to a secondary inspection area.

There, CBP officers used a K-9 service dog to detect the money hidden in bulk in the vehicle, federal authorities said. in total, $274,867 was found.

“CBP officers seized the currency along with the vehicle,” CPB said. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested the driver and initiated a criminal investigation.”

CPB did not identify the driver by name but described him as a 41-year-old Mexican citizen living in Brownsville.