BLAINE — U.S. Border Patrol agents seized $218,908 in American currency in the backpack of a Mexican citizen who was in the United State illegally last month.
The person was one of three Mexican nationals taken into custody near Lynden in mid-February who were processed for removal from the U.S., according to Border Patrol reports of Blaine Sector arrests from Feb. 8-29.
They were pursued Feb. 16 after remote-video-system operators saw individuals running across the U.S.-Canada border.
With the help of a K-9 unit, they were tracked to a double-wide mobile home and arrested.
The Border Patrol provided no explanation of the origin of the cash.
The Border Patrol also gave an account of two Russian citizens who allegedly damaged a hotel room Feb. 25 while on a fishing trip to LaPush.
They could not produce their immigration documents, saying they had left them in Everett.
Taken to Port Angeles
The men were transported to the Port Angeles station, where their legal immigration status was verified, and they were released.
In issuing weekly reports, the Border Patrol does not identify those arrested or their genders, chooses which arrests to make public and does not include arrests that lead to ongoing investigations.
Other arrests listed by the Blaine Sector for Feb. 8-15 were a Canadian citizen near Blaine on Feb. 9, an Indian citizen in Sumas on Feb. 9, four Mexican citizens near Bellingham on Feb. 12, two Mexican citizens near Sumas on Feb. 14 and a Mexican citizen in Forks who had an immigration detainer and who was rearrested upon his release from jail.
Arrests listed for Feb. 16-22 were four Canadian citizens near Blaine on Feb. 19, a Canadian citizen near Lynden on Feb. 21 and a Mexican citizen during a traffic stop in Everson on Feb. 22.
Arrests listed for Feb. 23-Feb. 29 were two citizens of India near Lynden on Feb. 23, a Mexican citizen near Lynden on Feb. 26 and two Honduran citizens near Blaine on Feb. 28.