- Officers charged with accepting $2k+ per vehicle in bribes
- Surveillance footage captures undocumented passenger entries
- Part of 5 corruption cases at San Diego border since 2022
Federal prosecutors unveiled shocking details this week about systemic corruption at America's busiest border crossing. Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at San Ysidro Port of Entry face federal charges for allegedly accepting cash payments to bypass immigration checks. Court documents reveal a sophisticated operation where inspectors Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez communicated directly with Mexican smugglers via encrypted messages.
Digital evidence shows the officers received $2,000-$5,000 per vehicle waved through inspection lanes. In one documented case from March 2023, surveillance cameras captured a Toyota SUV where only the driver appeared in entry records - despite clear footage of a passenger. Homeland Security investigators traced nearly $70,000 in unexplained cash deposits across the defendants' accounts over 11 months.
This case exposes three critical vulnerabilities in border security operations:
- Inadequate rotation of inspection booth assignments
- Lack of real-time financial monitoring for CBP staff
- Over-reliance on visual documentation checks
The investigation began when three detained smugglers confessed to collaborating with 'corrupt U.S. officials.' Forensic accountants later identified patterns of structured deposits designed to avoid bank reporting thresholds. Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden emphasized the national security implications, noting: 'Every unauthorized entry represents potential threats from criminal networks to bioterrorism risks.'
San Diego's border region has become ground zero for customs corruption. Last year, former officer Leonard Darnell George received a 23-year sentence for allowing drug shipments through San Ysidro. Two additional cases at Otay Mesa and Tecate ports involve officers accused of similar bribery schemes. Industry analysts suggest these incidents reflect:
- Pressure from cartels exploiting low CBP wages
- Insufficient anti-corruption training programs
- Technological gaps in vehicle screening systems
As the cases proceed, CBP faces mounting calls to implement biometric entry-exit systems and mandatory financial disclosures for border staff. The Department of Homeland Security's 2023 Integrity Report shows a 17% increase in corruption investigations compared to pre-pandemic levels, signaling heightened vigilance against internal threats.
