According to The Associated Press, Farruko was detained in Puerto Rico on Monday night shortly after he returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic. Ivan Ortiz, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, told The Associated Press that the singer was flying in from the nearby Caribbean island, where he performed with Jon Z and Noriel in Punta Cana last Saturday.
The rapper was arrested at the Isla Grande airport, where officials found almost $52,000 in undeclared cash in his shoes and baggage following his arrival via helicopter. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charges include failing to declare transportation of monetary instruments in excess of $10,000 and bulk cash smuggling.
After appearing in court on Wednesday morning, Farruko was released on $100,000 bond. According to The Associated Press, if convicted, he faces a maximum fine of $250,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. He will be placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor in Miami.
As he left court on Wednesday, he told reporters, “There’s nothing to hide here,” he said. “I was tired.”
The news may prove difficult to stomach for those familiar with the recent success that Farruko has found through his work, which has located him at the top of the Latin charts for years since his 2010 debut album Talento del Bloque. More recently, he has found success with massive collaborations, like the addictive single “Krippy Kush,” off of the 2017 LP TrapXficante.
Farruko’s camp has yet to respond to requests for comments from multiple media outlets. His upcoming world tour, which kicks off on April 19 at Mexico City’s World Trade Center will take him to Peru, Canada, and the United States. He is also scheduled to hit NYC’s Playstation Theater on May 16.
Update, 4/4/2018, 2:40 p.m.: This story has been updated to include new information provided by The Associated Press.
Update, 4/5/2018, 11:30 a.m.: This story has been updated to include new details about Farruko’s release on bond, provided by The Associated Press.