Colombians held with US$829,000
May 18, 2006
THREE of four Colombian citizens who the police said tried to leave Jamaica Monday with more than $800,000 in American currency, were yesterday remanded in custody when they appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Criminal Court.
The three - Monica Isabel Topias Peno, 36, a trade advisor of Bronlongvilla; Freddy Lionel Galue Molina, 39, a car dealer, also of Brolongvilla; and Jean Carlon Molina Montalvo, 26, an administrator - were booked to leave the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on a Copa Airlines flight to Panama when their luggage was x-rayed and "irregularities detected" by security officials.
Their luggage was searched in their presence and a quantity of United States currency allegedly found.
Police said the three, along with another Colombian, Gloria Patricia Palacio Obregon, a 19 year-old trader of Chiquinquine, Colombia, were all taken to the Narcotics Headquarters on Spanish Town Road where a detailed search of their luggage was done in their presence and a total of $829,716 in United States currency (approximately J$54.38 million) were allegedly found. All four were subsequently arrested and charged.
However, Obregon, the youngest of the group, who the police said was found with US$132,500, fell ill and has been hospitalised under police guard and was unable to appear in court yesterday.
According to court documents:...
Author: Vaughn Davis
Source: Jamaica Observer
