In June 2013, CBP reported that currency seizure enforcement at its Detroit Field Office was running 24 percent ahead of the prior year by value. More than $5,199,000 had been seized in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2013, which began on October 1, 2012. The release highlighted a case involving $73,000 concealed in the undergarments of two Canadian women, one of whom was arrested for bulk cash smuggling.
The figures are more than a decade old, but they mark the beginning of a pattern at Detroit that has held ever since.
What a 24 Percent Increase Meant for Travelers
$5.2 million in nine months, at one field office
That pace worked out to roughly $580,000 per month. The Detroit Field Office covers Detroit Metro Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron.
An increase of that size reflects some combination of heightened enforcement activity and increased traveler non-compliance, and CBP has never disaggregated the two. What is clear is that the environment at Detroit became more active rather than less.
The highlighted case shows what moves aggregate numbers. Concealment on the body, an arrest, and an allegation of bulk cash smuggling under 31 U.S.C. § 5332 is a materially different matter from the more typical airport case, where a traveler simply did not file a FinCEN Form 105. Concealment cases tend to involve larger sums and draw more serious enforcement responses, so a handful of them shifts a field office total considerably.
Why Detroit Enforcement Is Different
The Detroit Field Office has long been among the most active in the country for currency enforcement, a pattern that predates the 2013 increase and has continued since. Annual seizure totals at Detroit have reached as high as $7.8 million in a single fiscal year.
Detroit also handles one of the highest volumes of international traffic of any U.S. port outside the major coastal gateways, and the mix of traffic produces an unusually wide range of scenarios. Arrivals at Detroit Metro come from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The Ambassador Bridge and Blue Water Bridge carry heavy Canadian cross-border traffic, where structuring cases involving multiple travelers in one vehicle are common. Outbound enforcement targeting cash headed to Canada or overseas is a standing feature of operations at the airport.
The field office has also been notably public about its enforcement, publishing seizure statistics and individual cases rather than keeping them quiet. For travelers crossing at Detroit area ports, the practical implication is simple: CBP here is active, well-resourced, and paying attention. The requirement to report cash over $10,000 is enforced consistently, and the consequences of non-compliance are real.
Our Involvement in Detroit Cases
Great Lakes Customs Law was retained in 17 Detroit Field Office currency seizure matters during this same fiscal year period, involving approximately $250,393 in seized currency. That work covered representation through the election of proceedings process, petition preparation, and negotiations with the Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office.
Prior results do not guarantee or predict the outcome of any other matter, and every case turns on its own facts. Examples of how matters have resolved are collected on our currency seizure case outcomes page.
If Detroit CBP Has Seized Your Currency
Filing an accurate FinCEN Form 105 before crossing is the only way to avoid this risk entirely. If it is already too late for that, the first decision that matters is what not to do: our page on why claimants should not call CBP after a currency seizure covers the post-seizure missteps that make cases harder. The process itself, and the deadlines attached to each option, are set out in our customs money seizure guide.
Cash Seized at a Detroit Area Port?
Detroit Metro Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, or the Blue Water Bridge. Our office is minutes away. Contact us for a confidential case evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ports does the Detroit Field Office cover?
Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron, among others. Seizures at any of them are administered through the same Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office.
Is cash enforcement heavier at Detroit than at other ports?
Detroit has consistently been among the most active field offices in the country for currency enforcement, with annual seizure totals reaching $7.8 million in a single fiscal year. It handles very high international volume and both airport and land border crossings.
Does CBP inspect cars leaving the U.S. for Canada?
Yes. Outbound enforcement is routine at the Detroit area land crossings, and the reporting requirement applies to money leaving the United States exactly as it applies to money entering it.
What happens if several people in one car are each carrying cash?
CBP generally treats travelers moving together as transporting a combined total. Dividing money among occupants to keep each below $10,000 can be treated as structuring, which is a separate violation.
Legal Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it, or contacting Great Lakes Customs Law through this website, does not create an attorney-client relationship. The enforcement statistics described here relate to fiscal year 2013 and are historical; current figures will differ. Prior results depend on the specific facts of each matter and do not guarantee or predict the outcome of any other case. No result is guaranteed or implied. Laws, regulations, and CBP procedures change, and the outcome of any customs seizure or forfeiture matter depends heavily on its specific facts and circumstances. References to a publicly reported arrest are descriptive only; an arrest raises no inference of guilt. You should consult a licensed attorney about your particular situation before taking or refraining from any action.