Counterfeit Monetary Instruments Seized from Parcels Arriving from Ghana

Jamaica, N.Y. — Be wary of phony money orders. Fortunately for the American public, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at John F. Kennedy Airport International Mail Branch are on the lookout daily for these counterfeit monetary instruments.

During a routine inspection on August 8, CBP officers at the JFK mail facility discovered a bulky envelope that contained approximately $1 million in counterfeit money orders arriving from Ghana. CBP jointly investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to disrupt the distribution of counterfeit monetary instruments.

“Every day CBP officers are protecting the American public from various dangers,” said Robert E. Perez, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations. “This seizure is a testament to the dedication our officers demonstrate daily in support of CBP’s mission.”

"The partnership between Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service represents a successful effort to identify and bring to justice international counterfeiters who prey on American consumers. We are committed to interdicting these fraudulent documents, raising consumer awareness, and pursuing criminal charges against suspects who produce and traffic in these items, both within the United States and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Gregory S. Crabb, Revenue, Product & Global Security for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The investigation is ongoing, and to date no arrests have been made.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.