Cash Seizure at O’Hare Airport in June 3 Notice

A Cash Seizure at O'Hare Airport Chicago is pictured in this Notice of Seizure and Intent to Forfeit

A cash seizure at O’Hare Airport in Chicago was recently published for administrative forfeiture by U.S. Customs & Border Protection. As said, the seizure ocurred at Chicago’s O’Hare airport and the reasons for seizure were a failure to report cash to CBP at O’Hare airport and bulk cash smuggling.

A decision timeline at CBP in Chicago on a currency seizure petition typically takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months, depending on which paralegal is handling the case and the issues raised in the petition and the supporting documentation. Thus, the fact that this cash seizure occurred on March 12, 2016, at O’Hare airport tells me that either someone did not receive the personal notice of seizure letter, they have chosen not to respond to it, their petition was legally defective, or they have (or will soon) file a claim.

A claim removes the case from CBP and brings it before a judge in Federal District Court. Our Chicago customs law office is located conveniently within a few blocks of both CBP’s Fines, Penalties & Forfeitures branch and the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

When is better to file a claim with CBP and not an administrative petition? That is a question that should only be answered after consulting with a customs lawyer experienced in getting cash seizures returned from CBP because each case is a little different. We wrote about that issue a little bit in our article called Understanding CBP’s Election of Proceedings Form.

The excerpt from forfeiture.gov is reproduced, in part, below:

PUBLICATION/POSTING START:
PUBLICATION/POSTING END:
DEADLINE TO FILE A CLAIM:

June 03, 2016
July 02, 2016
August 02, 2016

CHICAGO, IL
2016390100060801-001-0000, Seized on 03/12/2016; At the port of CHICAGO, IL; U.S. CURRENCY; 1,331; EA; Valued at $42,440.00; For violation of 31USC5317(C), 31USC5316, 31USC5332

Have you had a cash seizure at O’Hare Airport Chicago?

If you experienced a cash seizure at O’Hare Airport Chicago you can learn more about the process from our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.