Outbound Customs Currency Seizures to Mexico

This customs currency seizure story, quoted below from U.S. Customs & Border Protection (full story HERE), illustrates the currency reporting requirement for arriving traveler’s and for those exiting the country. Failure to follow the law will result in a customs currency seizure.Customs Currency Seizure Lawyer; Keep Calm and Declare Monetary Instruments Exceeding $10,000 USD

IMPERIAL VALLEY, Calif. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the local ports of entry over the weekend foiled three attempts to smuggle . . . $382,749 in unreported U.S. currency that was bound for Mexico. [ . . . ]

The [ ] 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 a customs currency seizure case and are contemplating what to do next, please use the information available on this website or 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 Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando and many other places.

Please read these customs currency seizure articles:

  1. Seizure of currency and monetary instruments by U.S. Customs
  2. Seizure for bulk cash smuggling into or out of the U.S.
  3. 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. Responding to a Customs currency seizure
  8. How do I get my seized money back?
  9. Getting money seized by U.S. Customs back while staying overseas
  10. How long does it take Customs to decide a petition for a currency/monetary instrument seizure?