In the old days perhaps, but no longer. As Tambo said, now it gets confiscated. And there's another implication: you become a 'marked' person, suspected of laundering or narcotrafficking. OK so you pay the penalty for breaking the law and bringing in more in cash than you should because you were caught by honest law enforcement officials. Then what? Maybe when they're feeling the pinch financially they remember you and go looking and fabricate something you have done in order to get you to pay. Guys who can officially process an importer of excess sums of money in their day job can moonlight in a less professional fashion. And for a gringo, not knowing the ropes means they open themselves up to potentially never ending hassle.
A lot of long term expats brought in excess sums in the past, like your family has done, but in the last 7 years things have changed. I seriously doubt whether any thinking expat would do it again now.
