Major money haul at V.C. Bird International Airport

ST.JOHN’S, Antigua: Antigua Customs and Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) officers on Friday detained a 33 year old Venezuelan male attempting to leave the country with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

Franklyn Jose Arica Campos, who arrived in Antigua on May 23 aboard BWIA from Venezuela via Trinidad and Tobago, was detained by Customs Officers having checked-in and cleared Immigration for a morning flight on BWIA Friday.{{more}}

Following a search of his belongings, it was discovered that Campos was carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in bundles of foreign currency.

Customs officials, believing the large sums of money was the proceeds of crime, called in ONDCP officers who carried out further investigations.

Campos agreed to be interviewed by ONDCP officers in the presence of

Venezuelan Embassy officials, during which he reportedly explained how he came by the large sums of money.

He was later lodged at the St. John’s Police Station.