Above: the seized gold bars (Photo: CBP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

US Customs and Border Protection in Puerto Rico has seized several courier packages containing 11 cast-gold bars arriving from Curacao, officials announced Tuesday.

The packages were seized at the Rafael Hernandez International Airport in Aguadilla.

In mid-December, officers at the Aguadilla facility came upon what they described as “six unusually heavy shipments arriving from Curacao which rendered a more intrusive inspection.”

“This seizure proves once more that CBP officers at our ports of entry are very vigilant and will continue working with our partners to identify contraband arriving from abroad,” said Marcelino Borges, director of CBP field operations for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. “We will not tolerate the introduction of contraband into our jurisdiction whether it is in the form of narcotics or any other type.”

The total weight for the gold bars is approximately 76.5 pounds with an estimated value of $1.7 million.

The 11 gold bars have been transferred to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.