St. Elizabeth businessman charged after US$270,580 allegedly found in soap boxes at Sangster airport

A businessman from St. Elizabeth is facing charges after officials allegedly found more than US$200,000 stashed in his bags at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St. James.

Shawn Walker, 34, was taken into custody after landing in Jamaica on Sunday, June 7, on a United Airlines service from New Jersey in the United States. During standard customs checks, Jamaica Customs Agency personnel reportedly noticed irregularities with his luggage and carried out additional screening, including a hand search.

Investigators say the examination uncovered a substantial amount of United States currency packed inside 28 sealed boxes of bath soap. The Financial Investigations Division said the money was later counted and totalled US$270,580.

Authorities reported that Walker presented paperwork, but it did not adequately establish that the funds came from lawful sources. After a question-and-answer interview on June 8 with officers from the Constabulary Financial Unit, conducted in the presence of his lawyer, he was charged.

The charges are failure to declare the movement of cash into or out of Jamaica, possession of criminal property, and concealment of criminal property. Walker is expected to appear in the St. James Parish Court at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16.

Keith Darien, Principal Director of Financial Crimes Investigations at the FID, said the case shows the importance of alert enforcement work and cooperation among agencies in tackling financial crime. Cassell Dunkley, Director of Investigations at the Jamaica Customs Agency, said the seizure also highlights the role of joint action in safeguarding Jamaica's borders and financial system.