CBP Seizes Nearly $190K in Unreported Money

This story about a recent customs money seizure was entitled “CBP Seizes Nearly $190K in Unreported Funds”  but really that’s pretty misleading. You can read our popular article on Responding to a Customs Money Seizure HERE. While technically the funds were not reported, it is clear that the money was smuggled rather than just simply unreported. I think that’s a safe assumption since it was hidden in the roof of a vehicle. Anytime you drive through a customs check point with something hidden in your roof and don’t declare it, it’s pretty fair to say you’re trying to smuggle it.

Tucson, Ariz. — A 48-year-old Mexican man was arrested Sept. 16 for attempting to smuggle $189,300 in unreported U.S. currency into Mexico through the Port of Nogales.

CBP officers assigned to the Port of Nogales searched and located nine packages of unreported currency within the vehicle roof of a smuggling vehicle.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outgoing inspections referred a Cadillac Escalade for further inspection and located nine packages of currency hidden inside the vehicle’s roof.

Officers seized the unreported currency and referred the driver to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

So there you go, it was completely concealed and gives customs grounds for money seizure for bulk cash smuggling violations.

Even if criminal charges are not filed or if they are ultimately found not guilty of a crime they may still face civil forfeiture of the money. They will have to fight for its return administratively, or in the courts. If you have had cash seized by customs and are contemplating what to do next, please make use of the other information available on this website or call our office at (734) 855-4999 to speak to a customs lawyer, or e-mail us through our contact page. We are able to assist with cash seized by customs around the country, including Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando and many other places, and not just locally in Detroit.

Read these other articles about customs money seizures:

1. Seizure of currency and monetary instruments by U.S. Customs
2. Customs currency seizure for bulk cash smuggling into or out of the U.S.
3. Customs currency seizure; Structuring currency imports and exports
4. Is it $10,000 per person?  Under what circumstances is filing a report with Customs for transporting more than $10,000 required?
5. Criminal & civil penalties for failing to report monetary instrument transportation
6. Is only cash currency subject to seizure by Customs?
7. Getting money seized by U.S. Customs back while staying overseas
8. How long does it take Customs to decide a petition for a currency/monetary instrument seizure?
9. Customs currency seizure; Tuition Money Seized by Customs