CBP seizes firearms and over $131K in currency at El Paso ports of entry

El PASO, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Ysleta Port of Entry in El Paso recently discovered and seized $131,675.000 in currency hidden in a BMW X4.

On Sept. 17, a female Mexican national did not declare the currency in an attempt to smuggle the money past CBP Officers at the Ysleta Port of Entry. The currency was found in 16 foil-wrapped bundles in a non-factory compartment in the fenders of the vehicle. The U.S. Attorney's Office has accepted the case for prosecution.

So far, in Fiscal Year 2025 through August, the CBP El Paso Field Office has seized more than $2.7 million in currency and 31 firearms at the ports of entry. During the same period, the El Paso Field Office has seized 30,636 rounds of ammunition.

"Stopping the flow of illegal currency, firearms, and ammunition is an important part of disrupting the illegal activities of criminal and foreign terrorist organizations operating in our U.S.-Mexico border region," said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. "By denying these dangerous organizations the flow of illicit money, weapons, and ammunition, our CBP officers assist our law enforcement partners on both sides of the border as they contend with these threats."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We enforce safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.

• Topics
• Smuggling