The Cuban-American citizen Mirtza Ocana, who was recently arrested for trying to enter Tampa with more than $100,000 in undeclared cashconfessed that she received a payment in exchange for withdrawing money from Cuba, and that she would have done this activity on at least 45 more occasions during 2023.
According to The New Herald, the woman claimed that she received between $1,500 and $2,000 for each trip. The woman’s police file reveals that she resides in Tampa, and that, although she is unemployed, she is registered as the owner of the company Ocana & Paradise, LLC, which was created in September of last year.
Following his initial arrest, Ocana appeared before Judge Sean P. Flynn, and was later released under home surveillance, requiring him to remain at home with an electronic bracelet.
The aforementioned media indicates that Ocana could have acted as a mule, transporting goods and money between Cuba and the United States.
Analysts consulted by the press believe that the large amount of money that was found on the woman may come from people selling their homes in Cuba.
Another theory is that it comes from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that want to make purchases in the US and then resell the products on the Island, since US sanctions do not allow them to carry out financial transactions.
Users on social networks considered that everything was very suspicious, especially the fact that the Castro authorities did not detect such a large amount of money despite the strict exit restrictions imposed by the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC).
Ocana arrest
The woman arrived at the Tampa airport from Havana on February 5. On that occasion, the Cuban-American claimed that she was traveling with less than $10,000 in cash, however, a routine check revealed about $30,000 in cash inside her suitcase.
This caused the woman to be questioned by airport authorities. After ensuring that she was not carrying any more money, the agents found other bags hidden among her clothes, which contained around an additional USD 70,000, bringing the total of money in the luggage to more than USD 100,000.
The woman admitted that she made this type of trip frequently, even though she knew perfectly well that traveling with more than $10,000 without declaring it was illegal. Due to the large sum found, the woman was accused of money smuggling.
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