The San Ysidro Port of Entry is the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere, processing tens of millions of northbound and southbound crossings each year. CBP officers there enforce federal currency reporting requirements in both directions — inbound from Mexico and outbound into Mexico — and the sheer volume of traffic makes San Ysidro one of the most active ports in the country for currency seizures. If CBP seized your cash at San Ysidro, you have limited time to act and need experienced legal representation.
Do not call the Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office to explain yourself. Do not write a letter without a lawyer. Everything you communicate to CBP after a seizure can be used against you in the forfeiture process.
San Ysidro: Outbound Enforcement Is the Focus
Most airport seizures happen on inbound crossings — travelers arriving in the U.S. who failed to declare currency. San Ysidro is different. A substantial portion of CBP enforcement activity at San Ysidro targets outbound crossings — cash being transported from the United States into Mexico. CBP operates dedicated outbound inspection lanes, uses canine units trained to detect currency, and employs imaging technology to screen vehicles heading south.
The reasons people carry large amounts of cash southbound through San Ysidro are legitimate and varied: purchasing real estate in Mexico, paying for medical or cosmetic procedures in Tijuana, buying or selling a vehicle, supporting family members, or conducting business. None of those purposes are illegal. What is illegal — and what triggers a seizure — is failing to report the money to CBP before crossing.
Under 31 U.S.C. § 5316, any person transporting more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments across a U.S. border must file a FinCEN 105 form with CBP at the time of crossing. This requirement applies equally in both directions. If you reported the money and CBP still seized it, your case is very different from one where no report was made at all — and your options may be stronger.
A Recent San Ysidro Case: $44,000 Hidden in a Food Bag
In January 2025, CBP officers at San Ysidro stopped a 27-year-old woman driving southbound into Mexico. During a secondary examination, a K-9 unit alerted on a white plastic bag containing food items. Inside, officers found a brown package containing $44,148 in unreported currency. The cash was seized. CBP issued a public release on the incident.
This case illustrates why concealment matters so much. Carrying $44,000 in cash across the border is not a crime. Failing to report it is a federal violation. Hiding it — in a food bag, in a vehicle panel, on your person — adds a bulk cash smuggling element that makes the case significantly harder to resolve and signals to CBP that the transportation was not innocent. CBP’s working assumption when currency is concealed is that there is a reason it was hidden — and the burden of proving otherwise falls on you.
Common Violations at San Ysidro
The most common currency-related violations at San Ysidro include:
- Failure to report on outbound crossings — Cash transported into Mexico without a FinCEN 105 filing is a federal violation under 31 U.S.C. § 5316 regardless of its source or intended use.
- Bulk cash smuggling — Concealing currency in vehicle compartments, personal items, food containers, or on the person with intent to evade the reporting requirement. This is a separate and more serious federal offense under 31 U.S.C. § 5332, carrying potential criminal exposure.
- Structuring — Splitting funds among passengers or traveling companions to keep individual amounts below $10,000. CBP treats all occupants of a vehicle as a single reporting unit. Structuring is a violation under 31 U.S.C. § 5324 even if every individual amount is under the threshold.
- Inaccurate reporting — Declaring some cash but not all of it. Reporting $9,000 when you are carrying $30,000 is treated the same as reporting nothing.
- Inbound failure to report — Travelers entering from Mexico who do not declare currency over $10,000 at the crossing.
What Happens After a San Ysidro Cash Seizure
At the time of seizure, CBP will issue a Custody Receipt for Seized Property and Evidence. Within approximately 60 days, you should receive a Notice of Seizure and Information to Claimants from the CBP Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures (FP&F) office. This notice includes the Election of Proceedings form, which sets your legal path forward. Your options are:
- Administrative Petition for Remission or Mitigation — An internal CBP review requesting full or partial return of the seized funds. This is the most common route and keeps the matter within CBP rather than escalating to federal court.
- CAFRA Seized Asset Claim — A formal legal challenge demanding that the government file a civil forfeiture complaint in federal court, shifting the burden of proof to CBP.
- Offer in Compromise — A negotiated settlement for partial return of the funds, available in appropriate circumstances.
The right option depends entirely on the facts of your case — the amount seized, how the money was discovered, what you said to CBP at the time, the source of the funds, and your intended use. Read our analysis of which option is best for your situation and our guide to the Election of Proceedings form.
The 30-Day Deadline
You generally have 30 days from the date of the Notice of Seizure to file your Election of Proceedings. Missing that deadline allows CBP to proceed with administrative forfeiture — permanently, without any court involvement. If you are outside the United States or there is a delay in receiving your notice, the deadline does not automatically extend. Do not wait. Read our guide on why you must not contact CBP without an attorney.
What Evidence You Will Need
Regardless of which option you choose, you will need to demonstrate to CBP — or to a federal court — that the money came from a legitimate source and was intended for a lawful purpose. The stronger and more specific your documentation, the better your outcome. Useful evidence typically includes bank withdrawal records, tax returns, business records, real estate or vehicle purchase agreements, medical procedure estimates or invoices, and statements from employers or business partners. The specific documentation needed depends on your situation and the amount involved.
Read our full guide to how to get seized cash back from CBP.
CBP’s San Diego Field Office and FP&F Jurisdiction
San Ysidro falls under the CBP San Diego Field Office, which oversees all ports of entry in the greater San Diego area including Otay Mesa, Tecate, Andrade, and Calexico. The Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office handling your case will be within that field office’s jurisdiction. San Ysidro’s port code is 2506. Cases initiated at San Ysidro are administered through CBP’s standard FP&F process, and petitions are reviewed at the field office level with potential escalation to CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C.
You Do Not Need a California Attorney
CBP currency seizure cases are federal matters governed by federal law. You do not need a California-licensed attorney to represent you in a San Ysidro seizure case. What you need is an attorney with deep experience in CBP FP&F proceedings specifically — the process, the officers, and the arguments that work. Jason Wapiennik has handled more than 700 currency seizure cases nationwide and recovered more than $11 million for clients at ports across the country, including San Diego area crossings. He is barred in Illinois and Michigan and practices customs law exclusively.
See our currency seizure case results.
Get a Free Consultation Today
If CBP seized your cash at San Ysidro or any other San Diego area crossing, contact us now for a free currency seizure consultation. Read our full CBP money seizure legal guide or reach us directly using the contact options on this page.