U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) regularly seize currency from travelers — and the consequences can be severe if you don’t act quickly and correctly. Logan is one of the busiest international airports on the East Coast, and CBP maintains an active presence there enforcing federal currency reporting laws.
If CBP has seized your cash at Logan, do not try to handle this yourself. Do not call Customs to explain. Do not write an apology letter. The process is adversarial, the deadlines are strict, and the outcome depends on how your case is presented — not on the facts alone.
Great Lakes Customs Law has represented clients with currency seizures at Boston Logan and ports nationwide. Read on to understand what happened, what comes next, and how we can help you get your money back.
Why CBP Seizes Cash at Boston Logan
Federal law requires anyone traveling internationally with more than $10,000 in cash — or its equivalent in foreign currency or monetary instruments — to file a FinCEN 105 form (CMIR) with CBP at the time of arrival or departure. This requirement comes from 31 U.S.C. § 5316.
There is no tax on the money. There is no limit on how much you can carry. But failing to report it — or reporting the wrong amount — gives CBP grounds to seize it. The most common reasons CBP seizes currency at Logan include:
- Failure to report — You were carrying more than $10,000 and did not file a FinCEN 105 form, or you reported an inaccurate amount.
- Bulk cash smuggling — The money was concealed in luggage, clothing, or on your person in a way that suggested intent to evade the reporting requirement. CBP has seized cash hidden in shoes, sewn into clothing, and packed inside everyday items.
- Structuring — Dividing currency among traveling companions to keep each person’s amount under $10,000 is a federal violation. CBP treats a family or traveling group as a single unit.
- Unspecified unlawful activity — In some cases, particularly domestic carrier seizures, CBP seizes cash on suspicion of drug trafficking, money laundering, or other crimes even without a reporting violation.
Logan has a long track record of high-profile seizures. In 2017, CBP seized over $2 million across New England ports. Individual cases at Logan have involved cash sewn into clothing, currency split across traveling couples, and amounts ranging from $14,000 to nearly $30,000. CBP officers at Logan are well-trained in detecting concealment and under-reporting.
What Happens After a Logan Airport Cash Seizure
After CBP seizes your currency, you will typically receive a Custody Receipt for Seized Property at the time of seizure. Within 60 days, you should receive a Notice of Seizure and Information to Claimants from CBP’s Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures (FP&F) office. This notice contains your case number and the critical Election of Proceedings form.
The Election of Proceedings form asks you to choose how you want to contest the seizure. Your three options are:
- Administrative Petition for Remission or Mitigation — You ask CBP to return all or part of the money through an internal administrative process. This keeps the case out of court but puts CBP in the position of judging their own seizure.
- CAFRA Seized Asset Claim — You formally contest the seizure and request that the government pursue forfeiture through the federal courts. This shifts the burden to the government to prove the money is subject to forfeiture.
- Offer in Compromise — You propose a settlement, paying a portion of the seized amount in exchange for return of the rest.
Each option has strategic advantages and trade-offs. The right choice depends on your specific facts — the amount seized, the violation alleged, the evidence available, and your goals. Choosing the wrong option can significantly reduce your chances of a full recovery.
Read our detailed guide to the Election of Proceedings form
Which option is best for your situation?
Deadlines Are Critical — Don’t Wait
Once CBP issues your Notice of Seizure, you typically have 30 days to file an Election of Proceedings and begin contesting the seizure administratively. If you miss this deadline, CBP may proceed with administrative forfeiture — meaning you lose the money permanently without any court review.
Even if you still have time on the clock, every day you wait without legal representation is a day you may be making things worse. Do not call the FP&F office to explain yourself. Do not write letters without a lawyer’s guidance. Anything you say can and will be used by CBP to support the forfeiture.
Why you should remain silent after a seizure
What Evidence Will You Need?
Regardless of which proceeding option you choose, recovering seized cash from CBP requires demonstrating two things: that the money came from a legitimate source, and that it was intended for a lawful purpose. CBP will not simply take your word for it.
Evidence that supports a strong petition or claim typically includes:
- Bank records showing withdrawals or account history consistent with the amount seized
- Tax returns or income documentation
- Business records, invoices, or contracts explaining the intended use of the funds
- Statements from family members, employers, or business partners
- Documentation of currency exchange transactions
- Any supporting materials specific to your circumstances (real estate transactions, gifts, inheritance, sale of property, etc.)
The strength and organization of this evidence package makes an enormous difference in outcomes. A well-documented petition that tells a coherent, credible story is very different from a bare apology letter. CBP FP&F officers have seen every kind of claim — a weak submission signals inexperience and invites denial.
Full guide to evidence and documentation
Boston Logan’s CBP Field Office
Currency seizures at Boston Logan are processed through the CBP Boston Field Office, which covers ports of entry throughout New England. The FP&F office responsible for Logan seizures handles the administrative forfeiture process, reviews petitions, and issues decisions.
Logan’s port code is 0417. This will appear on your custody receipt and seizure notice. Cases from Logan may be decided at the port level or referred to the national FP&F center depending on the nature of the violation and the amount involved.
Great Lakes Customs Law works with FP&F offices at ports nationwide — including Boston — and understands how these offices evaluate petitions and claims. There is no substitute for an attorney who knows how CBP FP&F actually operates.
Why Not Handle This Yourself?
We have seen the results of self-represented currency seizure cases, and they are not good. The most common mistakes include:
- Filing an apology letter instead of a substantive legal petition
- Choosing the wrong election of proceedings option
- Failing to submit adequate documentation of the money’s source and intended use
- Calling the FP&F office and making statements that hurt the case
- Missing filing deadlines entirely
- Submitting a petition that reads as an admission of wrongdoing
CBP is not obligated to help you build your case. The FP&F office’s job is to enforce forfeiture law, not to coach claimants through the process. When money is forfeited administratively, it goes into the U.S. Treasury — there is a real institutional incentive at work here.
An experienced customs attorney understands what CBP is looking for, how to frame the evidence, and how to navigate the procedural options to give you the best possible chance of a full recovery.
Our Results at Boston Logan and Beyond
Great Lakes Customs Law has successfully represented clients who had cash seized at Boston Logan Airport. Jason Wapiennik has handled 700+ currency seizure cases and has recovered more than $11 million in seized funds for clients across the country.
We handle currency seizure cases at every major U.S. international airport and port of entry — not just in the Midwest. If your money was seized at Logan, you don’t need a Boston-based attorney. You need the right customs attorney, wherever they’re located.
See our currency seizure case results
Get a Free Consultation Today
If CBP seized your cash at Boston Logan — or anywhere else — contact us now for a free currency seizure consultation. Time is not on your side. The sooner we review your case, the more options we have to fight for a full recovery.
Read our full CBP Money Seizure Lawyer’s Guide or reach out directly using the contact options on this page.