A man was caught trying to smuggle more than $ 770,000 out of the U.S. in cash hidden in boxes of drug store products , officials said . Abdulkarim Altareb , 48 , from Yemen , insisted the wads of crisp banknotes belonged to him and 'his brothers ' when he was busted by suspicious customs officials at New York 's JFK Airport . He is now in jail charged with 'bulk cash smuggling ' , but police sources told the New York Post there was no indication the money was meant for terrorist groups . Loadsamoney : Packs of common drug store products and even a pair of trainers were used to conceal more than $ 770,000 which Abdulkarim Altareb was caught with as he tried to board a flight to Qatar on Sunday . Not so clean getaway : Packs of Dove soap were used to conceal wads of crisp dollar notes in Altareb 's luggage . He said the money was for building works and police sources say they do n't suspect terrorism . Altareb had claimed he was carrying just $ 6,500 - well under the $ 10,000 limit - before trying to board a plane to Qatar on Sunday , according to court papers seen by the Post . But when asked to present the cash he pulled out just $ 5,870 , stoking the suspicions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who then decided to search his luggage . Inside they found boxes of soap , Band-Aids , Thera-flu , Splenda and Alka-Seltzer , all stuffed with thick rolls of $ 100 and $ 50 bills . 'Cash was also hidden in soles of shoes , and in the lining of a jacket inside of one of the checked bags , ' a court filing said . Under interrogation , Altareb is said to have told Homeland Security agents he was taking the money to the Middle East to fund building works . 'This is my brothers ’ , two brothers ’ money , ' he told them according to the criminal complaint . It added : 'The defendant also said , in sum and substance , that some of the money was his money , and some of the money belonged to his family , and that he has a big family . ' Suspicious behaviour : Altareb had claimed he was carrying just $ 6,500 - well under the $ 10,000 limit - before trying to board a plane to Qatar on Sunday , according to court papers . He is now in jail . Altareb is currently sitting in jail after he was held without bail at a Brooklyn federal court arraigment yesterday . He will appear again today so his lawyer can propose a bail package .
Altareb was caught with the money at New York 's JFK airport . Customs agents found wads of crisp banknotes hidden in his luggage . He is in jail charged with 'bulk cash smuggling ' after a court appearance . Police sources say there 's no indication he is linked to terrorism .