CBP in Detroit — my home port — reported that currency seizure enforcement is up 24% in value over the prior year. The numbers are significant:
During the first three quarters of fiscal year 2013, which began Oct. 1, 2012, more than $5,199,000 in currency has been seized at ports of entry within the Detroit Field Office. This represents an increase of 24% compared to this time last fiscal year. Recent cases, such as the $73,000 seized from a pair of Canadian women that was hidden in their undergarments — with one of the women being arrested for bulk cash smuggling — highlight the need to inform the public so that they can avoid having their currency seized.
What a 24% Increase Means for Travelers
More than $5.2 million seized in nine months at a single field office. That pace — averaging nearly $580,000 per month — reflects an enforcement environment at Detroit that is more active, not less, than in prior years. The Detroit Field Office covers Detroit Metro Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. CBP has been consistent about publicizing its seizure totals and individual cases at Detroit, and the 24% increase in value suggests either increased enforcement activity, increased traveler non-compliance, or both.
The highlighted case — $73,000 hidden in the undergarments of two Canadian women, with one arrested for bulk cash smuggling under 31 U.S.C. § 5332 — illustrates what drives the larger numbers. Cases involving concealment on the body tend to involve larger amounts and more serious enforcement responses than the typical airport seizure of a traveler who simply did not file a FinCEN 105 form. A $73,000 concealment case, with an arrest, is the kind of enforcement action that moves the aggregate statistics significantly.
Our Involvement in Detroit Cases
Great Lakes Customs Law was involved in 17 Detroit Field Office currency seizure cases during this same period, representing approximately $250,393 in seized currency — roughly 5% of the total value of all Detroit currency seizures in fiscal year 2013 to that point. These are cases where we were retained to represent clients through the election of proceedings process, petition preparation, and FP&F negotiations. See our currency seizure case outcomes for results across these and other cases.
The breadth of our Detroit practice reflects the reality of enforcement at this port. Detroit handles one of the highest volumes of international traffic of any U.S. port outside the major coastal gateways, and the mix of travelers — arrivals from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia at Detroit Metro Airport, combined with Canadian cross-border traffic at the Ambassador Bridge and Blue Water Bridge — produces a wide range of currency seizure scenarios. Structuring cases involving multiple travelers are common at the land crossings. Outbound cash enforcement targeting currency heading to Canada or overseas is a regular feature of Detroit Metro enforcement. We handle all of these.
Why Detroit Enforcement Is Different
The Detroit Field Office has historically been one of the most active in the country for currency enforcement — a pattern that predates the 24% increase reported here and has continued in the years since. Annual seizure totals at Detroit have reached as high as $7.8 million in a single fiscal year. The field office has also been notable for the transparency of its enforcement communications, with DFO leadership actively publicizing seizure statistics and individual cases on social media — a practice that both deters future violations and helps the public understand the scope of enforcement activity.
For travelers crossing at Detroit area ports, the practical implication is straightforward: CBP here is active, well-resourced, and paying attention. The failure to report requirement is enforced consistently, and the consequences of non-compliance — seizure, civil penalties, potential criminal charges for concealment cases — are real. Filing an accurate FinCEN 105 before crossing remains the only way to completely avoid this risk. Read our guide on what not to do after a seizure if it is too late for that.
Has Detroit CBP Seized Your Currency?
If CBP at Detroit Metro Airport, the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, or the Blue Water Bridge has seized your cash, contact us for a free consultation. Read our customs money seizure legal guide or watch the video series. Call us at (734) 855-4999, send a text message, or reach us on WhatsApp. You can also contact us online. We assist clients with seizures at Detroit and ports nationwide.