The Dominican woman caught smuggling $163,300 into the country will ring in the New Year in jail following a court order to remand her until January 10, 2012.
Paula Peterson, 42, appeared in St John’s Magistrate’s Court yesterday and Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh set the matter in January because the All Saints Court has jurisdiction over matters occurring at the airport. That court is currently on vacation.
Peterson is charged with money laundering and disguising and concealing money.
The accused was nabbed on Thursday, December 27, when she arrived at VC Bird International Airport on a flight from St Maarten.
Reports indicate officials from the Customs Department searched Peterson’s luggage and person and discovered she had the money strapped to her body. In all, she had US $60,000 and EC $300.
She was handed over to immigration officials who later referred the case to lawmen from the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) who investigated.
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