Border Patrol agents were alerted to suspicious activity along the banks of the Rio Grande, south of Granjeno, by an agent operating a remote video surveillance system. Approximately six individuals were seen emerging from the river carrying what appeared to be bundles. Soon after, a green Chevrolet S-10 approached the river and the smugglers began tossing the bundles into the truck.

When the agents approached, all of the subjects, including the driver, dove into the river and swam back to Mexico. Agents discovered a duffle bag inside the truck containing 15 bundles of cocaine.

The cocaine has an estimated street value of more than $1 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration assumed custody of the narcotics.

Border Patrol agents arrested two individuals traveling in a 2008 Gray Chrysler 300. During the vehicle stop, a K-9 team alerted to the vehicle. A search of the trunk yielded several bundles of U.S. currency totaling $82,075. The money was turned over to the Blythe Narcotics Enforcement Team and the two individuals were released pending an investigation.

The next day, agents arrested two more individuals traveling in a 2001 Gold Chevrolet Impala. A K-9 team responded to the vehicle stop and quickly alerted to the vehicle. Agents searched the vehicle and found a plastic wrapped bundle of cocaine in the speaker box. The cocaine weighs a little more than two pounds and has an estimated street value of $74,720. The cocaine and suspects were turned over to the Narcotics Task Force Office of Palm Springs.

Since October 1, 2009, the Blythe Border Patrol Station has seized approximately $235,000 in cash.

On Monday afternoon, CBP officers were conducting routine inspections of vehicles leaving the United States when they selected a 1994 Chevy pick-up truck for inspection. The truck was occupied by two Mexican men, ages 19 and 46.

While conducting their inspection, CBP officers opened a suitcase that was inside the truck and discovered 30 packages wrapped in black electrical tape. After a CBP Currency/Weapons Detector Dog alerted to the suitcase, officers removed the packages and seized $300,032 as undeclared currency.

Both occupants of the truck were arrested and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.

More than 80 countries participated in Operation ATLAS (an acronym for Assess, Target, Link, Analyze and Share)—leading to more than $3.5 million in cash seized and the identification of $24 million in undeclared currency that may have otherwise gone undetected at ports of entry around the world during the five-day period.

“In our increasingly networked world, multinational cooperation is critical to combating transnational criminal activity,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Today’s announcement reflects an unprecedented model of international collaboration that we will continue to build upon in the future.”

“Operation ATLAS provided the perfect platform to promote the implementation of international anti-money laundering standards and recommendations, to improve national control techniques, and to enhance cooperation among all parties involved in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing,” said Secretary General Mikuriya. “The operation’s successful outcomes also demonstrate the benefits that accrue from coordinated and focused inter-agency cooperation at the national level.”

DHS’ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) led Operation ATLAS in close collaboration with fellow DHS component U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with the assistance of the WCO using CENcomm, a secure communication tool developed by the WCO. The operation was supported by Interpol and Europol.

Participating countries used real-time information sharing and coordination of cash declaration data to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that smuggle illicit cash around the world—employing several different methods to detect cash carried in baggage, on travelers and in shipments aboard commercial flights at designated airports.

Operation ATLAS reflects the commitment shared by Secretary Napolitano, Secretary General Mikuriya and WCO members to continue the expansion of cooperative efforts to deter transnational smuggling organizations around the world—bolstering global security and enhancing mutual efforts to deter terrorists and other criminals.

The announcement came during a press conference at WCO Headquarters in Brussels—part of Secretary Napolitano’s week-long trip to Europe and the Middle East to meet with her international counterparts to discuss information sharing and privacy protection; collaborative efforts to secure cyber networks worldwide; the international response to the H1N1 global pandemic; and coordination to combat transnational criminal activity and the global threat of terrorism.

Secretary Napolitano’s trip follows Secretary General Mikuriya’s recent visit to the United States where he discussed trade security and facilitation as well as customs capacity building with top government and business leaders.

Officers conducting southbound inspections on the 905 freeway at the Otay Mesa port of entry stopped two cars with persons carrying undeclared cash.

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U.S. currency

Officers stopped a white Toyota 4Runner, driven by a 45-year-old male with two passengers, a 22-year-old and a 54-year-old male. During inspection, officers discovered that the driver had $32,744 concealed in his front pockets and $222 in his wallet. The 54-year-old passenger had $8,000 concealed under his clothes near his groin, and $2,221 in his front pockets. The other passenger also had money hidden on him that totaled less than $10,000.

The same day, officers stopped a white, 1999 Dodge Ram truck driven by a 45-year-old male with three male passengers, ages 21, 26, and 27. During an intensive inspection, officers discovered a suitcase in the bed of the truck with a false compartment containing $20,010 in undeclared currency.

It is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling more than $10,000 to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest.