MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man who said he transported more than US$270,000 in soap boxes on a flight from the US to Jamaica because he was afraid airport employees would steal it, is to return to court June 16 to answer to multiple charges including possession of criminal property, concealing criminal property, failure to comply with requirements imposed by an order, and cross-border movement of funds.

Shawn Walker appeared in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday before Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton after customs officers uncovered the large sum of undeclared cash during a routine screening.

Officers reportedly detected irregularities in Walker’s luggage and a subsequent search allegedly uncovered a substantial sum of cash concealed inside 28 boxes of Irish Spring soap. The cash, once extracted and counted, totalled US$270,580 (approximately $43 million).

Customs officials further indicated that Walker did not declare the funds on his C5 form, instead indicating that he was not carrying more than the US$10,000 allowed.

When questioned about the origin of the money, Walker reportedly said it was derived from his trucking business and represented proceeds from the sale of four semi-trailer trucks.

He further indicated that he intended to use the funds to purchase a house in St Elizabeth and a motor vehicle. In support of his explanation, he produced several documents, including receipts and a bank statement.

However, preliminary checks revealed that the documents were not in his name, and he was unable to satisfactorily account for the funds.

The cash was seized, and Walker was arrested and cautioned by members of the Anti-Lottery Scam Unit before being taken to the Montego Bay Police Station. An Apple iPhone in his possession was also seized.

According to investigators, the phone was initially unlocked with Walker’s consent, using a password he provided. A preliminary examination allegedly revealed identity-related information belonging to several individuals residing overseas.

However, when the device later auto-locked Walker reportedly refused a request to unlock it again. He was subsequently detained on reasonable suspicion of breaches under the Law Reform and POCA legislations.

An application was later made for a production order, which was granted, compelling Walker to provide his phone password within 48 hours. However, he reportedly stated that the phone did not belong to him but to his mother, and that he did not know the password.

Investigators, however, maintained that the seized device was the only phone taken from Walker and the same device to which he had previously provided access. Walker was formally charged following a question-and-answer session conducted in the presence of his attorney Donovan Collins.

“After hearing the allegations, I am wondering if I can represent Mr Walker or I might have to be a witness in this matter,” Collins told the court.

“I say this because he vehemently denies 98 per cent of those allegations,” he added.

Addressing the court further, Collins disputed the prosecution’s claim that Walker said the phone belonged to his mother.

“I was present, and that is not what Mr Walker said. He clearly stated that there was another cellphone and that the police handed over that cellphone, his luggage, and a gold chain to his mother who was outside. I was at the police station and saw when the police handed over certain things to his mother so we strongly deny those allegations,” argued the defence attorney.

On the issue of the cash, Collins told the court that Walker is a businessman based in the United States and that Hurricane Melissa had damaged properties belonging to his mother and siblings in St Elizabeth. He said Walker travelled to Jamaica to assist with rebuilding efforts as well as repairs related to damaged vehicles.

Judge Fairclough-Hylton questioned the manner in which the money was transported.

“Since he has a legitimate source of this US$270,580 why conceal it in the Irish Spring boxes?” she queried.

The defence responded: “His fear was that persons who work at the airport would steal the money.”

The judge noted the reasoning, remarking that if theft were a concern, concealing cash in soap boxes would not necessarily mitigate that risk.

Collins acknowledged that his client admitted possession of the money and indicated he did not wish to waste the court’s time on that aspect of the case, while maintaining a denial of the remaining allegations.

He later applied for bail but the prosecution objected, arguing that the investigating officer was in communication with overseas counterparts and that ongoing international inquiries could be compromised if Walker were released.

The defence countered that bail should not be used as punishment and that Walker posed no flight risk. Judge Fairclough-Hylton ultimately ordered that Walker be remanded until today when he is scheduled to return to court.