Just days after CBP officers seized $70,749 in unreported currency at the Brownsville Port of Entry on November 18, another outbound inspection at the Gateway International Bridge resulted in the seizure of approximately $71,000 in bulk cash on November 22, 2025. Two major seizures in less than a week — totaling nearly $142,000 — raise an important question: is CBP ramping up outbound enforcement at the southern border, and what does this mean for travelers?
What Happened
On Saturday, November 22, CBP officers at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville selected a 2026 Kia traveling southbound into Mexico for a routine outbound inspection. The vehicle was referred to secondary inspection, where officers used nonintrusive inspection technology to discover unreported bulk U.S. currency totaling approximately $71,000 hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers seized both the currency and the vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations special agents are investigating the seizure.
This followed the November 18 seizure at the same bridge, where a canine unit and nonintrusive inspection systems were used to discover $70,749 in unreported bulk currency in another outbound vehicle.
A Pattern at Brownsville
Two high-value seizures in a single week are notable, but they fit a broader pattern. Brownsville has been one of the most active ports in the country for outbound currency seizures throughout 2025. CBP press releases from this year alone document multiple large seizures at Brownsville-area bridges, with amounts frequently in the $70,000–$275,000 range. Many of these involved bulk cash hidden in vehicles during routine outbound inspections.
What the pattern makes clear is that CBP is not just conducting occasional spot checks on outbound traffic — they are running sustained, systematic enforcement operations targeting southbound currency at the Texas-Mexico border. Officers are using a combination of canine units, X-ray and nonintrusive inspection technology, and behavioral observation to identify vehicles carrying undeclared cash.
Outbound Inspections Are Not New — But They Are Increasing
Many travelers assume that CBP inspections only happen when entering the United States. This is a dangerous misconception. CBP has full legal authority to inspect outbound traffic at any port of entry, and the agency has been steadily increasing outbound enforcement — particularly at land border crossings along the southern border.
The currency reporting requirement under 31 USC 5316 applies equally to money leaving the country. If you are driving across the border into Mexico with more than $10,000 in cash or monetary instruments, you must file a FinCEN Form 105 — the same form required when entering the U.S. The penalties for noncompliance are identical regardless of direction of travel.
The Law Has Not Changed
It is not illegal to carry more than $10,000 across the border. You can carry any amount of cash you want, in either direction, as long as you declare it by filing FinCEN Form 105. What is illegal is failing to declare it, concealing it to avoid detection (bulk cash smuggling), or dividing it among multiple people to stay below the $10,000 threshold (structuring).
The consequences of noncompliance are severe: immediate seizure of all undeclared funds, seizure of the vehicle or conveyance, civil penalties up to the full amount of the undeclared currency, and possible criminal charges — including arrest and referral to Homeland Security Investigations.
Vehicles Can Be Seized Too
Both of the November Brownsville seizures involved the seizure of the vehicle in addition to the cash. This is standard practice when CBP discovers bulk unreported currency in a vehicle. The vehicle is treated as a conveyance involved in the offense and can be forfeited to the government. For travelers who are driving their own car across the border, this means the cost of noncompliance is not just the cash — it includes the potential loss of their vehicle, which may be worth tens of thousands of dollars on its own.
Lessons for Travelers
These cases reinforce several critical points for anyone traveling with cash across the U.S.-Mexico border or any international boundary:
- Declare everything. File FinCEN Form 105 before you reach the inspection point. The form is available online or at the port of entry.
- Outbound inspections are real and frequent. Do not assume you will only be checked when entering the U.S. CBP is actively and aggressively inspecting southbound traffic.
- Do not hide cash in your vehicle. CBP uses canine units and X-ray technology specifically designed to find concealed currency. Hidden cash will be treated as bulk cash smuggling, which carries harsher penalties than a simple failure to report.
- Do not split cash between travelers. Dividing money to keep individual amounts below $10,000 is structuring — a separate and more serious violation.
- Keep records of the source and intended use. If your cash is seized, you will need to prove that it came from a legitimate source and was intended for a lawful purpose. Bank statements, tax returns, and other financial records are critical.
What to Do If Your Cash Was Seized
If CBP has already seized your cash at a border crossing, time is critical. You will receive a custody receipt at the time of seizure and, within approximately 60 days, a notice of seizure with an Election of Proceedings form. This form gives you a limited window to respond — and the choice you make on that form will determine the course of your case.
Do not call CBP to discuss your case. Anything you say can be used against you, and CBP officers may ask questions designed to elicit statements that strengthen the government’s position.
Contact a currency seizure lawyer immediately. We handle cases involving seizures at every major port of entry in the country, including Brownsville and other Texas-Mexico crossings. We know CBP’s unpublished mitigation guidelines, we have relationships with FP&F officers, and we know how to present your case for the best possible outcome.
Call us at (734) 855-4999 or reach out below: