When is a custom seizure of $3,700 news? When the money is counterfeit. Here’s an interesting story from CBP about some fake $100 bills headed for Salt Lake City, Utah, from Argentina from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
The woman’s punishment for possessing the counterfeit cash? Seizure of the money by CBP and expedited removal (that is, instant deportation) to Argentina, and very likely revocation of any visa and future inadmissibility to the United States. CBP seizes not only unreported, smuggled, and structured cash for violation of the federal currency reporting regulations, but also counterfeit cash. We’ve wrote about previous efforts to import counterfeit cash that resulted in CBP seizures in the past: like Hell money imported into Detroit from Vietnam, and counterfeit checks seized in Chicago, and then the counterfeit cash seized in Detroit, and over $120,000 in counterfeit cash seized at JFK, and many, many more instances you can find by searching this customs law blog.
Here’s the full story from CBP:
DALLAS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport intercepted 37 counterfeit $100 dollar bills that were being transported by an Argentinean woman.
The passenger was attempting to make entry to the United States as a tourist and in her possession were the $100 dollars bills wrapped in cellophane.
Early Monday morning, an Argentinean female passenger arrived at DFW seeking entry as a tourist with her final destination salted [sic] for Salt Lake City, Utah. Upon her arrival, CBP officers selected the passenger for a secondary inspection. During a secondary inspection of her belongings, a stack of $100 dollar bills was found wrapped in cellophane. When unwrapped, the bills produced a strong, uncommon, chemical odor. At first glance the currency appeared legitimate however, a closer look revealed the absence of fine-line detail and intaglio printing, printing technics [sic] associated with U.S. currency.
“This interception of counterfeit currency, that would have made its way into the U.S. commerce, is indicative of the commitment and attention to detail our officers pay on a daily basis,” said O’Ruill McCanlas, Acting Area Port Director, Area Port of Dallas. “Had this currency been introduced into our economy, someone down the line would have unknowingly exchanged this counterfeit money, tried to use it or even gifted it to someone else. We will take every opportunity to intercept this type of transnational criminal activity.”
After further examination of the currency, the 37 $100 dollar bills were seized and turned over to United States Secret Service (USSS).
The passenger was taken into custody by CBP and after further investigation the passenger was processed for Expedited Removal and returned to Argentina.
Did Detroit CBP seize cash from you?
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