Chinese Migrant Arrested with Gold, Cash in Maine near Border

Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents seize 13 gold bars from a Chinese woman who illegally
Photo: U.S. Border Patrol/Houlton Sector

Houlton Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a Chinese woman after she illegally crossed the border from Canada. During a search, the agents found the woman to be in possession of 13 gold bars and $10,000 in U.S. currency.

Border Patrol agents working the Canadian border near Amity, Maine, on August 4 encountered a woman they believed had recently crossed into the United States illegally. The agents detained the woman and verified her illegal crossing by tracking her footprints back to the border. The agents identified the woman as a 38-year-old Chinese national, according to information tweeted by U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott and Houlton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Dennis Harmon.

The agents found $10,000 and 13 gold bars during a search. Officials valued the 14.25 ounces of gold at more than $28,500. Officials seized the gold and the U.S. currency under the smuggling provisions of Title 18 USC 981(a)(1)(C) for the violation of 18 USC 1956(c)(7)(D) and 18 USC 545, officials told Breitbart Texas in response to an inquiry.

The apprehension of Chinese migrants in the Houlton Sector is a rare occurrence, the sector official explained. Their agents apprehended only one Chinese migrant during the entire Fiscal Year 2019, a CBP report indicates.

The agents processed the woman at the Houlton Border Patrol station where they learned the 38-year-old Chinese national entered Canada legally on a student visa. She admitted to illegally crossing the border from Canada into Maine between ports of entry. The woman said she was headed to San Francisco to visit a friend, officials stated. Officials did not say why she was carrying nearly $40,000 in gold and U.S. currency.

The agents expelled the woman to Canada under Title 42 Coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The vigilance, service and integrity of our Border Patrol Agents who continue to apprehend those who are looking to circumvent customs and immigration laws, plays an important role in keeping our communities in Maine and throughout the United States safe,” said Houlton Station Patrol Agent in Charge Brent Conley.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.

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