A cloak of mystery Monday surrounded the case of Ramon Sanchez, a Miami Cuban who was arrested last week at Miami International Airport carrying $117,460 in undeclared cash after returning from a trip to Cuba.

Sanchez, who was released on $25,000 bail, declined to talk to El Nuevo Herald. However, his wife, Leticia Duran, said he told the authorities that he was carrying the gross receipts from five paladares, or private restaurants, that Sanchez's father owns in Havana.

However, some friends and neighbors said Sanchez's father, who used to live in the United States, died years ago in Cuba.

``We have nothing to fear,'' Duran told a reporter at the couple's home in Hialeah. ``As you can see, no drug trafficker or infiltrated Castro agent lives here.''

Sanchez, a 30-year-old Cuban who arrived in Miami nine years ago on a boat, worked until Sept. 30 at C&T Charters, a company that flew passenger planes to Cuba through third countries.

John H. Cabañas, C&T's owner, said he ``had nothing to do'' with the airport incident.

He said Sanchez ``is a good boy, an excellent boy. He worked for me for almost 4 1/2 years.''

According to court documents, Sanchez was arrested at the airport Oct. 13 after arriving from Havana on a Mexicana de Aviacion plane. As he was questioned routinely by an Agriculture Department inspector, Customs inspectors noticed that dollar bills began to fall from a pants leg.

When Sanchez hurried away, Customs agents chased him and arrested him. A thorough search turned up $107,460 taped to a leg and his stomach. Later, $10,000 more was found on his body.

Sanchez was released on bail.