A United States website has reported that a Jamaican man has been arrested on charges that he attempted to smuggle US$193,000 ($16,405,000) out of the United States via Philadelphia International Airport.

According to www.nj.com, Customs and Border Protection officers arrested 36-year-old Corey Alexis Bernard after discovering the money inside his carry-on bag when he was attempting to board a flight to Montego Bay, St James shortly on April 15.

There is no limit to how much currency travellers can import or export.

However, it is reported that federal law requires travellers to declare amounts exceeding US$10,000 or equivalent foreign currency.

"It is not illegal, but very unusual for a passenger to attempt to carry out of the country such a significant amount of currency without reporting it," said Allan Martocci, port director for the Area Port of Philadelphia,

Martocci further reasoned, "this seizure and arrest attests to the serious consequences of violating federal currency-reporting requirements, and the importance of Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound enforcement operations," he said.

It is reported that customs officers turned Bernard over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations agents.

The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting Bernard on charges of failing to declare currency.