A customer came to a teller today requesting to wire $9,000 to an individual in Panama.
He said he wants to wire $8,000 tomorrow & $7,000 on Monday - all to the same person in Panama.
When asked "Why?"

He said, "If a wire is received in Panama of $10,000 or more, the funds are held."

I have never heard of such a thing (and my internet searches of this "information" is getting me nowhere).
I don't want to spend too much time searching for a piece of information that may be bogus.

Have any of you heard anything like this?

Thanks!

No, but you're more than welcomed to request further information from the customer prior to sending out the wires.

Assuming you haven't already, I would also investigate the source of funds for those wires. I've had a few situations that sound pretty similar to that in which the originator of the wires is being used as a money mule.