TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa woman is accused of smuggling more than $100,000 into the United States from Cuba, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mirtza Ocana, 38, arrived at Tampa International Airport on Monday on a flight from Cuba and claimed that she didn’t have more than $10,000 on her, which would have triggered reporting requirements, according to the DOJ.
However, during a search of her luggage, Department of Homeland Security agents found about $30,000 in three wrapped packages, according to a news release.
A subsequent search turned up another $70,000 hidden in Ocana’s clothes, according to the DOJ.
Ocana allegedly admitted to traveling from Cuba to Tampa multiple times per month to smuggle cash into the U.S., knowing that it was illegal, according to the DOJ.
Since May 2023, Ocana had flown from Cuba to Tampa 45 times, according to the release.
If convicted, Ocana could face up to five years in federal prison.
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