The Scale of CBP Currency Enforcement

CBP currency enforcement is a routine, high-volume activity. Across fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, CBP recorded nearly 10,000 individual currency seizure events totaling over $222 million. That works out to an average of 2,439 seizure events per fiscal year — roughly six to eight events every single day across the agency, with combined daily seizure totals averaging about $152,000.

The events are not distributed evenly. The Office of Field Operations — which runs enforcement at airports, seaports, and land ports of entry — accounts for the vast majority of both events and dollars. Border Patrol sectors, operating between ports of entry, generated about 18% of seizure events but only 10% of seized dollar volume over the four-year period.

Source: CBP Currency & Other Monetary Instrument Seizures dataset. Event counts and dollar totals combined across Office of Field Operations and U.S. Border Patrol. FY2026 figures cover the first six months only (October 2025 through March 2026) and are not comparable to complete fiscal years.

A Remarkable Shift: What Changed in FY2025

The most striking pattern in the updated data is a structural change that began in FY2025 and appears to be continuing into FY2026. For three consecutive years — FY2022, FY2023, and FY2024 — CBP was logging between 2,400 and 3,000 currency seizure events per year, with average dollar amounts per event in the $17,000 to $22,000 range. In FY2025, something changed.

Event counts dropped nearly 30% from FY2024 (from 2,427 to 1,726 events). But total dollars seized jumped 48% (from $45.0M to $66.6M). The result: the average dollar amount per seizure event more than doubled, from $18,551 in FY2024 to $38,578 in FY2025. FY2026’s first six months show the same pattern continuing: 1,231 events and $37.9M seized through March, with an average per event of $30,751 — still far above the FY22–FY24 baseline.

This shift means CBP is intercepting fewer travelers but recovering substantially more money from each interception. Part of the FY2025 jump is driven by a single extraordinary seizure — two events at Miami Field Office in August 2025 totaling $28 million. Even setting that outlier aside, however, FY2025’s per-event average still exceeded $22,000 — meaningfully higher than the three years that preceded it.

Which Ports Take the Most Cash

CBP currency enforcement is highly concentrated. Of the agency’s 25+ Field Offices, the top ten account for the overwhelming majority of both events and dollar volume. The patterns by field office reveal distinct enforcement profiles — some offices run high-volume, low-per-event operations (mostly land crossings), while others produce fewer events but much larger individual seizures (airports with international destinations).

Top 10 Field Offices by Total Dollars Seized, FY22–FY25

Top 10 CBP Field Offices by total dollars seized, fiscal years 2022–2025. Figures reflect OFO-reported seizure events only; Border Patrol sector activity is reported separately below. “Preclearance” refers to CBP’s Preclearance operations at foreign airports (Dublin, Nassau, Abu Dhabi, etc.) where travelers clear U.S. customs before boarding inbound flights. Miami’s totals include the $28M August 2025 event.

Total dollars seized by CBP Field Office, FY22–FY25 combined. Bar widths scaled relative to Miami Field Office total.

What the Per-Event Numbers Reveal

The “average per event” column tells a more revealing story than the dollar totals. El Paso‘s average per event is just $9,204 — by far the lowest among the top ten offices — reflecting a high volume of smaller inbound seizures at the Southwest Border land ports. Miami, by contrast, averages nearly $118,000 per event — the highest of any top-ten office by a wide margin, driven partly by the $28M August 2025 outlier but also by a sustained pattern of larger international travel flows, outbound enforcement, and occasional multi-million-dollar maritime or cargo interdictions.

Baltimore’s $38,536 average is also notable — more than four times El Paso’s — reflecting the airport’s focus on outbound international departures where average amounts run higher than at ground crossings.

Inbound vs. Outbound: Where the Big Dollars Are

One of the clearest patterns in the data is that outbound seizures produce substantially more dollar volume per event than inbound seizures. Across the four-year period, outbound seizures averaged approximately $27,100 per event, while inbound seizures averaged only $15,800. Even though inbound events outnumber outbound by a substantial margin (4,521 vs 3,300), outbound accounts for more than 44% of total dollars seized at CBP Field Offices — and that percentage is growing.

Inbound vs. outbound seizures at CBP Field Offices (Office of Field Operations), FY22–FY25 combined. “Other” reflects events where direction was not recorded or did not apply (for example, certain seaport operations and cargo interdictions, which tend toward larger dollar values and include the $28M Miami August 2025 event).

The Most Outbound-Focused Offices

Some field offices run overwhelmingly outbound operations. Detroit is the clearest example: over 72% of Detroit‘s seizure events are outbound — travelers leaving the United States, mostly bound for international destinations via Detroit Metropolitan Airport or crossing land ports headed to Canada. Chicago (72% outbound), Baltimore (66%), and Boston (64%) share similar profiles — airports where international departures drive enforcement. By contrast, El Paso’s operations are roughly 93% inbound, reflecting the volume of pedestrian and vehicle crossings coming north from Mexico.

When Seizures Happen: The Seasonal Pattern

Monthly event counts at CBP Field Offices are remarkably consistent across the year — generally ranging between 600 and 740 events per month when averaged over the four-year period. The dollar totals, however, are more variable, driven in part by the occasional very large individual seizure pulling up a given month’s average.

Monthly seizure totals at CBP Field Offices (OFO), aggregated across FY22, FY23, FY24, and FY25. Months are shown in fiscal-year order (October = start of FY). The extraordinary August figure is skewed by the $28M Miami event in August 2025; event counts by month are actually quite flat year-over-year.

The events-per-month figures are strikingly flat — enforcement activity hums along at roughly 600 to 740 events every month of the year regardless of season. Dollar volume varies much more, driven by occasional very large individual seizures. January stands out with a four-year average of nearly $31,700 per event — almost 40% above the annual average — and August’s $66,000 per event is heavily skewed by the single $28M Miami event in August 2025. Setting aside those outliers, the underlying pattern is clear: enforcement volume stays constant year-round, while the size of individual seizures varies.

Detroit Field Office: A Closer Look

The Detroit Field Office — covering Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron — provides a good illustration of how a single field office operates. Over the four-year period, Detroit recorded 870 seizure events and $18.1 million in total seizures. That breaks down to about 218 events per year — roughly one seizure event every 1.7 days.

Detroit Field Office currency seizures, fiscal years 2022 through 2025, plus partial FY2026 (October 2025 through March 2026). Includes all ports in the Detroit Field Office jurisdiction (Detroit Metro Airport, Ambassador Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, Blue Water Bridge).

Detroit’s profile is distinctive in two ways. First, it is heavily outbound — 72% of Detroit’s seizure events are outbound seizures of travelers leaving the United States, making Detroit one of the most outbound-focused enforcement operations in the country. Second, Detroit’s per-event average of $20,750 sits right near the national average, but with a heavy concentration of repeat enforcement at specific chokepoints: the Ambassador Bridge produces a particularly high share of outbound seizures heading into Canada, and Detroit Metro Airport handles a steady volume of international departures to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Unlike the agency-wide FY25 pattern (fewer events, much higher dollars), Detroit’s year-over-year trajectory is more stable — events and dollars have both edged downward modestly from FY2023’s 284 events, and the first half of FY2026 is already tracking ahead of FY2025’s full-year event pace. The firm’s own case experience at Detroit — hundreds of currency seizure matters handled over the years — is consistent with the public data: a steady flow of reporting-violation cases intercepted at the Ambassador Bridge and Detroit Metro, with the occasional large concealment case or bulk cash smuggling prosecution.

Texas: The Dollar Volume Leader

Considered as a region, the Texas land ports are by far the largest concentration of CBP currency enforcement activity. The Laredo, El Paso, and Houston Field Offices combined account for nearly 2,900 seizure events and nearly $50 million in total seizures over the four-year period — more than 22% of all CBP currency seizure dollars nationwide.

Combined Texas Field Offices (Laredo, El Paso, Houston), FY22–FY25. Does not include U.S. Border Patrol sector activity, which adds additional volume along the Texas-Mexico border.

The Texas profile reflects the unique dynamics of the Southwest Border. Laredo and Houston Field Offices each run significant outbound operations targeting U.S. currency headed to Mexico — often tied to narcotics-related bulk cash smuggling investigations and larger average dollar amounts per event. El Paso, by contrast, is predominantly inbound and produces the highest event count of any field office nationwide (1,448 events over four years) with much lower per-event averages. The regional picture is clear: Texas is where the largest share of both currency seizure events and dollar volume occurs — though like the nation as a whole, Texas shows a declining event trajectory from FY2023 onward.

Border Patrol Sectors: A Separate Enforcement Layer

Beyond the Field Offices, U.S. Border Patrol sectors operate in the zones between ports of entry — vehicle checkpoints on interior highways, rural border stretches, and areas away from formal crossing points. Border Patrol seizures account for a smaller but meaningful slice of overall currency enforcement: approximately 1,725 events and $22.6 million over the four-year period, or about 10% of total CBP currency seizure dollars.

Top U.S. Border Patrol sectors by dollars seized, FY22–FY25. These figures are separate from and in addition to the CBP Field Office figures shown earlier.

The Detroit Border Patrol sector stands out for its unusually high per-event average of over $60,000 — reflecting a smaller number of larger interior checkpoint seizures rather than the high-volume Southwest Border pattern. The Tucson sector represents the opposite extreme: 302 events over four years but only $3,287 per event on average, reflecting a high volume of very small seizures. Across the agency, Border Patrol contributed approximately $22.6 million in currency seizures over the four-year period.

Why the $10,000 Threshold Drives All of This

Every single one of these 9,700+ seizure events is grounded in the same rule: federal law requires anyone transporting more than $10,000 into or out of the United States to file a FinCEN 105 report (officially, the Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments). The threshold has not been adjusted for inflation since the reporting regime was established — which means the real value of $10,000 today is a fraction of what it was when the law was enacted.

In practical terms, amounts that might have been unusual for ordinary travelers decades ago are now the sort of amounts a person might carry for entirely legitimate reasons: bringing a down payment to a family member overseas, carrying wedding gift money, transporting savings during an international move, paying tuition, or supporting family abroad.

The Three Laws Behind Every Seizure

Every CBP currency seizure in the dataset is legally grounded in one — and sometimes all three — of the following statutes. Understanding which statute is in play is the first step to understanding exposure and options.

Why Concealment Escalates Every Case

The single most important factual distinction in a currency seizure case is whether the cash was merely unreported or was also concealed. Under 31 USC 5332, bulk cash smuggling requires the government to prove that the person knowingly concealed more than $10,000 in currency with the intent to evade the reporting requirement. Cash hidden in a gas tank, sewn into clothing, disguised as food, or built into electronics is effectively self-authenticating evidence of intent.

Can You Get Seized Cash Back? What Actually Matters

Travelers whose cash has been seized almost universally ask the same question: can I get it back? The honest answer is that it depends — on three things. First, the strength of the documentary evidence supporting the lawful source and intended use of the funds. Second, whether the case involves simple failure to report or compounded violations (concealment, structuring). Third, how well the traveler navigates the narrow procedural window between seizure and forfeiture.

The Procedural Timeline After a Seizure

After a seizure, CBP typically issues a Notice of Seizure within 30–60 days. The traveler (now called a “claimant”) has approximately 30 days from that notice to respond. The election of proceedings form presents four options, and the choice among them is consequential.

Every one of these options has a companion page on this site with deeper detail. For the full comparison, see the election of proceedings guide.

For documented examples of how individual currency seizure cases have resolved, see the firm’s Currency Seizure Case Outcomes database, which lists outcomes by port, amount, and basis for seizure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much cash can you travel with without reporting it to CBP?

Any amount — there is no legal limit on how much currency you can transport into or out of the United States. The requirement is reporting: any amount over $10,000 (total, in any combination of currency and monetary instruments including travelers’ checks and certain negotiable instruments) must be declared on a FinCEN 105 form when crossing the U.S. border. The threshold applies to individual travelers and to family groups traveling together.

Failure to report, not the carrying of the cash itself, is what triggers the violation.

Which CBP Field Office is most active for currency enforcement?

By total dollars seized over fiscal years 2022–2025, Miami Field Office led with $47.5 million across 403 events (including one extraordinary $28M event in August 2025), followed by Laredo ($23.9M) and Detroit ($18.1M). By total event count, El Paso led with 1,448 events — but at much smaller average amounts per event, reflecting the volume of smaller inbound seizures at Southwest Border land ports.

The office with the highest average dollar amount per individual seizure was Miami, at nearly $118,000 per event over the four-year period.

Why did CBP currency seizure patterns change in FY2025?

CBP does not publicly explain shifts in its enforcement patterns. What the data shows is that FY2025 saw a substantial decrease in the number of currency seizure events (down nearly 30% from FY2024) while total dollars seized increased sharply (up 48%). The net result was that average dollars per seizure event more than doubled — from $18,551 to $38,578.

The first six months of FY2026 continue that pattern, suggesting a more targeted enforcement approach focused on higher-value interceptions rather than high-volume, smaller-dollar stops.

Can I get my seized cash back?

Often, yes — but how much and how quickly depends on the facts of your case. Cases involving simple failure to report (no concealment, no structuring, legitimate documented source of funds) have a substantially better track record than cases involving concealment, bulk cash smuggling, or structuring charges.

The critical factor is the first 30 days after seizure: the election of proceedings, the quality of the administrative petition, and the documentation of the source and intended use of the funds all shape the outcome.

What’s the difference between failure to report and bulk cash smuggling?

Failure to report under 31 USC 5316 is a civil violation — the traveler had more than $10,000 and didn’t file the required FinCEN 105. Bulk cash smuggling under 31 USC 5332 is a felony requiring proof that the traveler knowingly concealed more than $10,000 with intent to evade the reporting requirement and transported it across the border.

Concealment — hiding cash in clothing, vehicles, food containers, electronics, or anywhere other than in normal baggage in plain view — is the element that turns a civil forfeiture into a criminal case. Bulk cash smuggling carries up to five years in federal prison plus full forfeiture.

Does CBP really seize cash for just being over $10,000 without a report?

Yes. The $10,000 reporting threshold is not merely a notification requirement — it is an affirmative filing obligation that, if violated, authorizes CBP to seize the full amount of currency, not just the portion above $10,000. A traveler with $15,000 who fails to file a FinCEN 105 can have the entire $15,000 seized. This is true even if every dollar is lawfully obtained and intended for a lawful purpose.

How long does it take to resolve a CBP cash seizure case?

Administrative petition cases (the most common path) typically take 6–12 months from the initial petition filing to CBP’s decision. Cases elected for judicial forfeiture via CAFRA claim take considerably longer — 12–24 months is common, and complex cases can extend further. Cases involving parallel criminal investigations are often stayed until the criminal matter resolves.

The fastest resolutions typically come from well-prepared administrative petitions filed within the 30-day window after the Notice of Seizure, with complete documentation of the source and intended use of the funds.

Is the $10,000 threshold per person or per family?

It is both, and the interaction matters. The $10,000 threshold applies to each individual traveler. However, when a family or group travels together, CBP’s position is that the aggregate amount carried by the group must be reported. Two family members each carrying $9,000 and traveling together must file a FinCEN 105 for the combined $18,000.

Attempting to split amounts specifically to stay under individual thresholds — having each family member carry $9,500 to avoid a $19,000 report — is structuring under 31 USC 5324 and is itself a violation, separate from any failure to report.

Should I talk to CBP and explain what happened?

Almost never, and not without counsel. Statements made to CBP officers at the time of seizure, or in follow-up phone calls, are admissible in both the administrative forfeiture proceeding and any parallel criminal investigation. Travelers who try to “explain” or “clear up” a seizure regularly make statements that materially worsen their cases — admitting to facts that elevate a civil failure-to-report case into a criminal bulk cash smuggling case, or providing information about the source of funds that triggers additional scrutiny.

The time to talk to CBP is after counsel has reviewed the case, the facts have been organized, and a strategic response has been prepared.

Does CBP take cash that’s legally obtained if it’s over $10,000?

Yes, if the report is not filed. The legality of the underlying funds does not matter for purposes of the reporting requirement — a traveler with $50,000 in fully lawful funds (e.g., proceeds from the sale of a house, a business distribution, or accumulated savings) who fails to file the FinCEN 105 is subject to seizure of the full amount. The legitimate source of funds matters significantly in the recovery phase — it is the central factual issue in administrative petitions — but it does not prevent the initial seizure.