US$45,000 undeclared cash lands man in court

MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man who entered the island with US$45,000 (approximately $7 million) in cash which he allegedly failed to declare, has found himself before the courts facing a charge of possession of criminal property. The accused, Robert Tong, arrived in Jamaica on a flight from Miami with the cash allegedly concealed in a an envelope. Under the law people entering Jamaica with in excess of US$10,000 in cash, cheque or otherwise, need to declare this on the online Customs and Immigration C5 form. When Tong appeared before Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday, the court was told that after the money was found in his possession he told authorities that the US$45,000 represented his savings and that he had brought the money to Jamaica for a property-related purpose. However, he was reportedly unable to provide sufficient documentation at the time to satisfactorily back-up his account for his possession of the cash. The matter took on further significance after Tong’s cellular phone was seized during the investigation. Conversations allegedly found on the device between Tong and another man reportedly included discussions about sending money on several occasions, including references to bringing money to Jamaica and instructions concerning how the funds should be received. The cash was subsequently seized, and Tong was arrested and later charged.

Under caution, Tong allegedly sought to explain the legitimacy of the funds, telling authorities: “My money is legit, it is from my trust.” Wednesday Tong’s attorney Henry McCurdy provided the court with further context regarding the origin and intended purpose of the money as he made a bail application. According to McCurdy, the money formed part of a family trust from which Tong receives a specified amount each month. He further told the court that his client had supplied documentation to Customs officers in relation to the money. “My client has provided proof to the Customs officers. They went through six months of the bank statements where they saw where money went in and came out and were satisfied that he had accounted for the money,” McCurdy said. McCurdy also told the court that Tong is married to a Jamaican and has three properties in Jamaica. He said the US$45,000 was intended to facilitate payment to a contractor for refurbishing work on one of those properties, which had reportedly suffered damage during Hurricane Melissa. The court, having heard the bail submission, granted Tong bail in the sum of $700,000, with provision for up to three sureties. Tong was also made subject to reporting conditions, requiring him to report to a specified police station on designated days. In addition, a stop order was imposed against him at all ports of entry and exit. He is scheduled to return to court on October 28.