Customs Currency Smuggling Seizure

In this August story, Customs seized some U.S. Currency out-bound shipments because they were involved in currency smuggling (it’s worth mentioning that this story also styles it “unreported currency” like this one or that one or the one here). Like those stories, this cash is unreported, but more obviously, it is also smuggled. This is a little different than the usual customs money seizure case we handle, which are seizures of money at airports and land border crossings by customs (you can read our popular page on Responding to a Customs Money Seizure HERE).

IMPERIAL VALLEY, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the local ports of entry over the weekend foiled three attempts to smuggle 29 pounds of cocaine hidden in two wooden rocking horses, 752

customs cash seizure

prescription pills concealed in clothing, and $382,749 in unreported U.S. currency that was bound for Mexico.

[ . . . ]

The second incident occurred at about 7 a.m. on Aug. 16, when CBP officers were conducting southbound inspections of travelers heading to Mexico through the Calexico downtown border crossing. Officers targeted a 2001 Honda Accord and referred the driver, a 39-year-old Peruvian citizen, and his vehicle for a more in-depth examination.

While searching the vehicle, officers utilized the port’s imaging system and detected anomalies within the Accord’s rear quarter panels. Following an intensive search, officers extracted a total of 15 packages containing $382,749 in U.S. currency from inside the panels.

[ . . . ]

If you have had cash seized by customs and are contemplating what to do next call our office at (734) 855-4999 to speak to a customs lawyer, or e-mail us through our contact page. We are able to assist with cash seized by customs around the country, including Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando and many other places, and not just locally in Detroit.

Read these other articles about customs money seizures:

  1. Seizure of currency and monetary instruments by U.S. Customs
  2. Customs currency seizure for bulk cash smuggling into or out of the U.S.
  3. Customs currency seizure; Structuring currency imports and exports
  4. Is it $10,000 per person?  Under what circumstances is filing a report with Customs for transporting more than $10,000 required?
  5. Criminal & civil penalties for failing to report monetary instrument transportation
  6. Is only cash currency subject to seizure by Customs?
  7. Getting money seized by U.S. Customs back while staying overseas
  8. How long does it take Customs to decide a petition for a currency/monetary instrument seizure?
  9. Customs currency seizure; Tuition Money Seized by Customs