By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Mexican businessman who pleaded guilty to an immigration offence on Tuesday remains in police custody after authorities discovered he was carrying US$10,500 in cash which he allegedly failed to declare upon entering Belize.
Rafael Moran Gama, 40, appeared unrepresented in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty to failing to present a visitor’s permit on demand to an Immigration Officer.
Gama was fined $1,000 plus $5 cost of court, payable forthwith, in default six months imprisonment. When informed of the default sentence, Gama reportedly expressed concern about being sent to prison.
His problems, however, did not end with the immigration charge.
According to Immigration personnel present at court, police have custody of US$10,500 found among Gama’s belongings and he is expected to be interviewed by personnel from the Belize Tax Service Department regarding the money and why it was not declared when he entered the country.
At the Central Bank’s fixed buying rate of US$1 to BZ$2, the cash amounts to approximately BZ$21,000. Official Financial Intelligence Unit guidance states that Belize increased its traveller cash-declaration threshold in 2016 from BZ$10,000 to BZ$20,000, with declarations to be made to Customs officers when entering or leaving the country.
That means Gama was carrying approximately BZ$1,000 above the declaration threshold. Carrying more than BZ$20,000 is not itself prohibited, but the amount must be declared to Customs. The FIU has identified failure to declare funds at or above the threshold as an offence under Belize’s customs framework.
Gama told the Chief Magistrate that he travelled by taxi from Mexico to the Corozal Free Zone, where he later accepted a ride from a taxi bearing Belizean licence plates into Belize City.
He claimed that when they reached the Belize side of the border he was sleepy and handed his passport to the taxi driver, but could not say whether the driver ever presented it to Immigration authorities.
Gama was later encountered during a police operation in Belize City at around 8:00 a.m. and detained. During the processing of his belongings, authorities recorded the US$10,500 in his possession.
He was escorted back to the Queen Street Police Station following his arraignment pending the financial interview.
Gama told the court the seized cash is all the money he currently has available and that he needs access to it to pay his $1,005 court fine.
Once the immigration fine and the outstanding matter concerning the cash are resolved, authorities are expected to arrange for Gama to be returned to Mexico.
No charge relating to the US$10,500 had been announced as of Tuesday afternoon.
The post Mexican businessman fined for illegal entry into Belize; US$10,500 undeclared cash now under scrutiny appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Mexican businessman who pleaded guilty to an immigration offence on Tuesday remains in police custody after authorities discovered he was carrying US$10,500 in cash which he allegedly failed to declare upon entering Belize. Rafael Moran Gama, 40, appeared unrepresented in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded guilty
The post Mexican businessman fined for illegal entry into Belize; US$10,500 undeclared cash now under scrutiny appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
