U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this week intercepted $509,700 in counterfeit U.S. $100 bills that a 62-year-old U.S. Citizen arriving from Peru attempted to hide in his luggage.
“This seizure demonstrates how U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s border search authority protects American businesses and consumers against counterfeit currency and other illicit products that pose potential harm to our nation and to our economy.” Carey Davis, CBP’s port director for the Area Port of Atlanta, said. “This is our Border Security work at its finest, and we are proud of the officers involved.”
After the CBP officers discovered the counterfeit currency, agents from the U.S. Secret Service arrived and confirmed that bills were, in fact, counterfeit. Secret Service agents took custody of the fake currency and the individual. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is prosecuting.
“In FY 2017, the Secret Service responded to 920 counterfeit arrests by other law enforcement agencies worldwide to assist with and further their investigations,” Kenneth Cronin, special agent in charge of the United States Secret Service at the Atlanta Field Office, said. “Yesterday’s actions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers illustrate the significance of our partnerships with state and federal law enforcement agencies.”