Mirtza Ocaña, a woman of Cuban origin and American nationality, was released on unsecured bail after being detained last Monday at the Tampa International Airport for not declaring $100,000 in her possession.
According to local reports, Ocaña is currently facing charges of cash smuggling, attempting to enter the United States with more than $100,000 without declaring.
According to a criminal report from the Department of Homeland Security (HSI/DHS), signed by Special Agent Víctor Valentín, Ocaña, 38, arrived at the airport on a flight from Cuba and told Customs and Border Protection Agents (CBP) who had nothing to declare.
However, when asked about the amount of money he had with him, he stated that he had about 10,000 dollars from the sale of a house in Cuba. However, when searching his luggage, the agents found $30,000 divided into three different packages.
US law establishes that anyone who enters the country with an amount greater than $10,000 must declare it. For this reason, Ocaña was arrested and her rights were read to her.
Cuban mule from Florida, detained after entering with 100 thousand dollars from Cuba
Mirtza Ocaña, a 38-year-old Cuban who lives in Tampa, Florida, was charged this Tuesday by the Federal District Attorney’s Office with smuggling more than $100,000 in U.S. currency from Cuba into the United States.
The official note in English indicated that Ocaña could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison if she is found guilty of all charges.
Ocaña was detained on February 5, 2024, when she arrived at Tampa International Airport on an international flight from the island.
The Cuban admitted that she was dedicated to transporting money from Cuba to the United States illegally, and that she did so two or three times a month. She also confessed that she was aware that bringing that amount of cash into the United States without declaring it was illegal.
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