A woman returning from Columbia was arrested last month after $150,000 in counterfeit U.S. bills were found in her luggage at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
After arriving on a Dec. 14 flight, Ciara Ryan, 38, was selected by CBP officers for a random baggage examination. They examined her first bag and found a strong odor of glue coming from it. Upon further inspection, the officers discovered alterations to its bottom, and within the alterations were several suspected counterfeit U.S. $100 bills, CBP said.
A black leather satchel that she was also carrying was examined and officers found more suspected counterfeit bills concealed within its lining.
Ryan was arrested and a total of 1,500 counterfeit $100 bills were seized, according to CBP.
She will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.
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