A man who had thousands of dollars in cash hidden inside his luggage at the airport has been sentenced to two years behind bars.

Alcides Polanco, 42, admitted having $78,728, which was seized by police as proceeds of crime, when he appeared in Magistrates’ Court in June.

The court heard that Polanco, who lives in Yonkers, New York, was scheduled to fly back to the United States last November, after spending five days in Bermuda.

Security officers at LF Wade International Airport noticed something unusual while scanning Polanco’s two bags through the X-ray machine, and decided to inspect the luggage.

Officers then discovered $49,000 in US dollars in one bag and $27,000, also in US money, in another.

Polanco stashed the money inside the bags’ interior frames and also had $1,600 in both US and Bermuda cash in his wallet and pockets at the time.

Suggesting that Polanco spend between 18 and 24 months in prison for the offence, prosecutor Alan Richards told senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson that the defendant’s actions tainted the island’s reputation as a financial centre.

He said: “Those who seek to damage that reputation should be punished and sent a clear message [from the court].”

Bruce Swan, Polanco’s lawyer, asked Ms Anderson to take into account his client’s motive for trying to smuggle the funds, which was contained within a social inquiry report, but not stated in open court.

Mr Swan recommended that Polanco’s mobile phones and jewellery, which were also seized by police, as well as the cash found in his wallet and pockets, be returned to him and considered 15 months behind bars a more appropriate sentence.

Polanco apologised to the court when he appeared earlier this week and the island for his actions before being sentenced.

Ms Anderson ordered the $78,728 be forfeited and recommended Polanco be deported once his two-year prison sentence ends.

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