US Customs agents intercept $27MILLION in cash aboard ship bound for the Virgin Islands - the largest seizure ever in the region

Federal authorities announced Tuesday that they seized $27million in undeclared cash aboard a ship bound for the US Virgin Islands, the largest such seizure ever in the region.

US Customs and Border Protection said a dog inspecting cargo on Saturday aboard a ship docked in Puerto Rico alerted agents to the money found inside home moving boxes destined for St. Thomas.

No one has been arrested.

Federal agents inspected cargo aboard a Togo-flagged vessel, the Norma H II, at Pier 10 in San Juan on Saturday.

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US federal agents seized $27million in cash while inspecting cargo on board a boat docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Saturday

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During the inspection, CBP K-9 indicated that there were suspicious items on pallets that contained several home moving boxes bound for St. Thomas. When CBP officers opened one of the boxes, they saw stacks of American greenbacks wrapped in vacuum-sealed packages

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The cash was seized when federal agents inspected cargo aboard a Togo-flagged vessel, the Norma H II (seen in the above stock image), at Pier 10 in San Juan on Saturday

During the inspection, CBP K-9 indicated that there were suspicious items on pallets that contained several home moving boxes bound for St. Thomas.

When CBP officers opened one of the boxes, they saw stacks of American greenbacks wrapped in vacuum-sealed packages.

In total, the pallets were holding 34 cargo boxes with undeclared currency.

Several agencies, including CBP, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the District Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico, and local law enforcement in Puerto Rico are conducting an investigation.

‘This seizure is a clear indication of the success of our joint investigative efforts,’ said W. Stephen Muldrow, US Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.

‘Puerto Rico’s geographical location, along with its status as a territory of the United States, makes it an ideal target for Transnational Criminal Organizations seeking to import narcotics into the Continental United States and facilitate the repatriation of their drug proceeds.

‘To eradicate this threat, we will continue to aggressively attack their drug smuggling and money laundering operations - depriving them of their illegal merchandise, their profits, and a safe haven.’

Last year, the European Union added Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands - two US territories - to its ‘dirty money’ list of entities requiring European banks to be more cautious when doing business with financial institutions in those jurisdictions.

Two other US territories - Guam and American Samoa - were added to a list that included countries like North Korea, Libya, and Yemen.

The EU’s ‘dirty money’ list includes countries and territories where drug dealers, terrorists, and corrupt dictators are believed to launder money.

The EU then walked back its decision to include the US territories under pressure from Washington.