Agents of the Mexican National Guard arrested three Cubans last Friday at the Tapachula International Airport, identified only by their first names, Yenei, Aranis and Leydies. According to a brief statement released a day after the arrest, these people “intended to enter Mexico with around 50,200 dollars, without declaring before the corresponding authority.”
According to the information shared 14ymedio by personnel from the air terminal, the Cubans had tickets to fly to the city of Tijuana, Baja California, bordering the United States. It was at the passenger inspection point that the agents found $17,000 in Leydies’ luggage, another $16,000 in Yenei’s suitcase and a little more than $17,000 hidden among Aranis’s belongings.
Article 9 of the Customs law It establishes that any national or foreign person who carries an amount, in cash or by check, greater than or equivalent to ten thousand dollars, “will be obliged to declare it to the customs authorities, in the official forms approved by the Tax Administration Service.”
The Cubans, it was indicated, were read the booklet of rights that assist people in detention, which establishes that because they are foreigners “they have the right to have the consulate of their country notified of their detention.”
The travelers could not verify the origin of the money and only indicated that they would go from Tijuana to the United States. They were held for a few hours at the air terminal until the prosecutor from the Federal Public Ministry of the city of Tapachula arrived. After the first proceedings, they were handed over to personnel from the Chiapas State Attorney General’s Office to continue with the investigations.
The Cubans, it was indicated, were read the booklet of rights that assist people in detention, which establishes that because they are foreigners “they have the right to have the consulate of their country notified of their detention”; however, the detainees refrained from doing so.
According to local media, the Cubans arrived at the Tapachula International Airport in a private car, which left them at the main gate and left. These people have legal permission that authorizes them to travel to the US border, although the National Migration Institute was notified for confirmation.
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