When CBP seizes money it is subject to forfeiture. Typically, CBP sends a letter notifying all interested persons that the property has been seized, is subject to forfeiture, and outlines some — though not all — of the options for getting seized money back. If administrative remedies are not successful, CBP publishes a notice of forfeiture.
How Forfeiture Notices Work
Publication of a notice of intent to forfeit used to be made in newspapers — until the government created a dedicated website for that purpose. Notices of seizure and intent to forfeit are now published at forfeiture.gov, typically once per week per port. The property listed in those notices falls into one of three categories: property that no one wants and has been abandoned; property that the owner never knew about because the mailed notice of seizure was never received; or property that the owner attempted to recover administratively but could not establish a right to — either because they could not prove legitimate source and intended use, or because the property was somehow illegal.
Understanding what ends up in the forfeiture notices — and why — is a useful window into how the administrative process works and what happens when it fails. Read our full customs money seizure legal guide for a complete overview of the steps involved in recovering seized currency before it reaches the forfeiture notice stage.
Detroit’s April 15 Notice — $64,480 at Port Huron
CBP Detroit’s April 15 notice of seizure includes $64,480 in U.S. currency seized at the Port Huron, Michigan port of entry on July 11, 2015, listed under case number 2015380200017901-001-0000. The statutory violations cited are extensive: 31 U.S.C. §§ 5317 and 5316 (failure to report and forfeiture authority), 31 C.F.R. § 1010.340(a) (currency reporting regulations), 18 U.S.C. § 981 (civil forfeiture), 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (money laundering), 18 U.S.C. § 1028 (fraudulent identification documents), 18 U.S.C. § 1029 (fraudulent access devices), 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (mail fraud), and 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (bank fraud).
That statutory list tells a more complex story than a simple currency reporting violation. The presence of § 1028 (fraudulent identification), § 1029 (fraudulent access devices), § 1341 (mail fraud), and § 1344 (bank fraud) alongside the currency reporting statutes suggests this seizure was connected to a broader financial fraud investigation — not merely a traveler who forgot to file a FinCEN 105. Currency seized in connection with fraud and money laundering carries very different petition prospects than currency seized for a straightforward reporting violation. The money appearing in the forfeiture notice — rather than having been returned — reflects that reality.
Chicago’s April 15 Notice — $1,525,176 Across Six Cases
Chicago’s April 15 notice of seizure is significantly larger — six separate currency seizures totaling $1,525,176, all listed for potential forfeiture. None of the Chicago cases appears to involve the standard currency reporting violations we handle most frequently. The statutory citations across the six entries tell the story:
- $34,445 (seized 11/10/2015) — cited under 21 U.S.C. § 881 and 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846 — drug proceeds forfeiture and controlled substance distribution offenses.
- $32,390 (seized 12/16/2015) — cited under 18 U.S.C. §§ 981 and 1956 — civil forfeiture and money laundering.
- $259,935 (seized 01/27/2016) — bulk U.S. currency, cited under 18 U.S.C. §§ 981 and 1956 — civil forfeiture and money laundering.
- $625,080 (seized 02/09/2016) — bulk U.S. currency, cited under 18 U.S.C. §§ 981 and 1956 — civil forfeiture and money laundering.
- $99,969 (seized 04/09/2016) — cited under 18 U.S.C. § 981, 21 U.S.C. § 881, and 19 U.S.C. § 1956 — civil forfeiture, drug proceeds, and money laundering.
- $473,357 (seized 04/09/2016) — cited under 18 U.S.C. § 981, 21 U.S.C. § 881, and 18 U.S.C. § 1956 — civil forfeiture, drug proceeds, and money laundering.
The dominant statutory framework across the Chicago notices is money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956 and drug proceeds forfeiture under 21 U.S.C. § 881 — not the currency reporting violations under Title 31 that characterize most of the cases we handle. This is consistent with what we know about CBP enforcement in Chicago: the port handles significant commercial freight and domestic currency movements connected to drug distribution networks operating through the Chicago area, and the forfeiture notices reflect that enforcement environment.
Why These Numbers End Up in the Forfeiture Notices
$1.5 million in a single notice is a significant sum by any measure. The fact that all of it has progressed to the forfeiture notice stage — rather than being returned through the administrative process — reflects one of three scenarios for each entry: the owner never responded to the notice of seizure, the owner attempted to petition but could not establish the legal standard, or the owner recognized that the connection to drug trafficking or money laundering made a successful petition impossible and chose not to respond.
In currency seizure cases involving legitimate funds — a failure to report by a traveler with clean money — money reaching the forfeiture notice stage is almost always the result of a missed deadline or a poorly handled petition. That outcome is avoidable. The election of proceedings deadline runs from the date on the CAFRA Notice of Seizure. Missing it is how legitimate money ends up permanently forfeited and published on forfeiture.gov. Read our guide on what to do — and not do — immediately after a seizure to make sure you do not miss that window.
If no one files a claim and prevails, the forfeited funds go to the government to support its operations — including, in many cases, the very enforcement programs that generated the seizures in the first place. If CBP has seized your cash at a Detroit area port or crossing or at Chicago O’Hare Airport, contact us immediately. Call us at (773) 920-1840 for our Chicago office, send a text message, or reach us on WhatsApp. You can also contact us online.