Mexican soldiers seize $2.7 million in cash from US vehicle

MEXICO CITY – Mexican soldiers have seized almost $2.7 million in cash stuffed into suitcases in the back of an SUV entering Mexico from the United States, the Defence Department said Wednesday.

The seizure took place last week at an incoming border inspection checkpoint in Tijuana, the city across from San Diego, California.

Authorities detected the cash with an X-ray inspection of the vehicle. The SUV had reportedly come from Los Angeles, though it was unclear where it was headed in Mexico. The vehicle’s occupants were detained for failing to declare the money.

Drug gangs in Mexico frequently smuggle the proceeds of drug sales in cash back into Mexico.