Sniffing Out Billions In US Currency Smuggled Across the Border To Mexico

An anonymous reader writes "Criminals smuggle an estimated $30 billion in U.S. currency into Mexico each year from the United States, most of it laundered drug money. But researchers say help is on the way for border guards in the form of a portable device that identifies specific vapors given off by U.S. paper money. "We're developing a device that mimics the function of trained dogs 'sniffing' out concealed money, but without the drawbacks, such as expensive training, sophisticated operators, down time and communication limitations," says Suiqiong Li, Ph.D., a member of the research team behind the technology. When developing the device, the researchers first had to figure out which gases money emits and how fast that happens. It turned out that the gases are a set of trace chemicals, including aldehydes, furans and organic acids." What do bitcoins smell like?

Bitcoins?

[gstoddart]

What do bitcoins smell like?

Despair, irony, and a touch of vermouth.

Bitcoins smell like

[Anonymous Coward]

Neck beard and a superiority complex

Ah, damn it!

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

I only switched to carrying sacks of bills across the border in the dead of night because dealing with those assholes at HSBC when I needed money laundered was too much trouble. I'll be seriously upset if enhanced security means I have to re-open my account with them. They wouldn't even upgrade me to Narcoterrorist Platinum Checking unless I provided proof of having ordered at least 50 grisly killings personally, or qualified for MegaMule Rewards by transporting more than a metric ton of high quality cocaine per quarter...

Re:Wont matter

[iggymanz]

rub it on your crotch for a really good time when travelling

Grandma

[sycodon]

The can sniff out $41,000 [detroitnews.com] in grandma's bra but they can't find pallets of cash going across the border.