Tag: amsterdam

US and Canadian Currency Seized by CBP in March 2024

Detroit Cash Seizures at Ambassador Bridge & Detroit Metro Airport in March 2024

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on April 22, 2024

CBP officers in Detroit had their own version of March madness, when they seized around $370,000 total in cash from travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and another $100,000 at the Ambassador Bridge that connects the US & Canada (these figures are according to CBP’s really awesome currency seizure dashboard).

I was away from X/Twitter for a while but checked back in when I learned a new Director of Field Operations was appointed for the Detroit Field Office at CBP. Lo, and behold, there was lot of publicized seizure activity for March. A bonus was the high-res images images of the seized currency for a few cases for the month. So here is a walk-through of those seizure incidents for March 2024:

On March 1, there was a total of $30,000 seized (in more than one incident) at Detroit Metropolitan airport for passengers arriving in the United States:

Officers at @DTWeetin seized more than $30K in undeclared currency last week from arriving passengers. 💰💸 Bring in as much cash as you’d like, but be sure to declare anything over $10,000 to a @CBP officer during your inspection. pic.twitter.com/Q24G59wcRy

— DFO Marty C. Raybon (@DFODetroit) March 1, 2024

Usually, people arriving with cash (who are usually not arrested) bring it with them for travel expenses, purchases, college tuition, and things of that nature.

On March 3rd, there was a total of $23,000 seized in combined amounts of U.S. dollars and Canadian currency at the Ambassador Bridge:

More undeclared cash to the tune of more than $23K USD/CAD was seized by @CBP officers at the Ambassador Bridge port of entry. 🔁💰✅ Declare all currency and monetary instruments over $10,000 when leaving or entering the U.S.

Learn more: https://t.co/5bjEq6qAhl pic.twitter.com/GesvYKeqxp

— DFO Marty C. Raybon (@DFODetroit) March 3, 2024

The activity at the Ambassador Bridge also includes travelers, but there’s always a good number of people gambling at Windsor or Detroit casinos who run afoul of the currency reporting laws when they’re crossing the border with their winnings.

On March 8, CBP seized $30,000 from someone leaving the United States for Amsterdam (probably where they would catch another connecting flight somewhere else….) at Detroit Metro Airport:

More than $30K was seized from an Amsterdam-bound traveler after he failed to accurately report the amount of cash he was traveling with to @CBP officers at @DTWeetin, March 8. There is no limit on currency entering or leaving the U.S., but anything over $10K must be reported. pic.twitter.com/NTq2gwOHM4

— DFO Marty C. Raybon (@DFODetroit) March 15, 2024

On March 23, a similar story with $22,000 seized from two travelers (seemingly traveling together) at Detroit Metro Airport on their way out of the United States (true story: most people don’t know they have to report amounts over $10,000 when leaving the country!):

Officers were conducting outbound inspections at @DTWeetin on March 12, which yielded more than $22,000 in seized currency after a pair of travelers misrepresented the amount of the 💰 in their possession.

Learn more about reporting requirements 👉 https://t.co/Rd804WrRCA pic.twitter.com/muefljNsrq

— DFO Marty C. Raybon (@DFODetroit) March 16, 2024

Has Detroit CBP seized your cash?

If CBP in Detroit seized your cash whether at the Detroit Metro airport, the Ambassador Bridge, or the Tunnel, you need a lawyer. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

Piles of cash seized by CBP at Detroit Metro Airport

CBP Detroit Seizes $60K Headed to Amsterdam

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on February 12, 2021

Customs officers at Detroit Metro Airport seized more than $60,000 from a woman who was traveling to Amsterdam, who reported having only $1,000 but in fact had more than $60,000 concealed in a bag of women’s “Always” ultra-thin menstrual pads.

Customs in Detroit is, as far as I can tell, always one of the leading ports across in terms of enforcement of the currency reporting violations, even though it’s not widely ‘advertised’ through Customs news releases. For instance, Dulles airport does not have nearly the volume of cash seizures as Detroit, yet Dulles is always in the news.

Here’s the story about the Detroit cash seizure:

ROMULUS, Mich. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations Officers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, conducting outbound enforcement operations encountered a female passenger headed to Amsterdam on February 3 with more than $60,000 in undeclared U.S. currency.

The female passenger initially reported to CBP officers conducting outbound examinations, she was only carrying $1,000. During an inspection of her baggage, Officers found bundles of cash inside envelopes, concealed in packaging used to house sanitary napkins. Officers seized the money as a result of the passenger violating currency reporting requirements.

Over $60k seized by @CBP officers at #DetroitMetroAirpot who discover cash concealed in a package of sanitary napkins. Traveler caught lying to federal law enforcement while attempting to depart the USA for Amsterdam.

Full Details 👉https://t.co/cXkrTO1fEQ pic.twitter.com/yvzTzW8kZg

— CBP Great Lakes (@CBPGreatLakes) February 11, 2021

“CBP enforces these regulations to combat money laundering or other criminal offenses,” said Port Director Robert Larkin. “I’m proud of our officers and the work they do to interrupt currency smuggling operations and illegal activities daily.”

The full story is available here.

Have you had a customs money seizure at Detroit Metro Airport?

If you have a customs money seizure at Detroit Metro airport, don’t do it yourself. Cash seizure cases are often packed with with difficulties and unforeseen challenges. Instead of risking forfeiture and the total loss of your money, do the smart thing and call us for a free currency seizure consultation and make use of the free customs money seizure legal guide we publish on this website.

piles of money seized by CBP at dulles airport en route to Netherlands

Dulles CBP Seizes $47,000 Cash From Netherlands-bound Traveler

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on February 4, 2021

Dulles CBP officers seized more than $47,440 from a woman U.S. citizen who was traveling to the Netherlands. This is an interesting story and markedly different from the usual seizure story; when the woman was asked how much she was carrying, she showed them a copy of a FinCen 105 form she actually filed on the same day.

If the story is accurate, she reported on the FinCen105 that she was carrying $10,000. Of course, it would not make sense to report carrying $10,000 on a FinCen105 even if it was true because the form is only properly filed when you travel with more than $10,000.

Perhaps her failure to comprehend this caused her to be flagged and scrutinized by CBP, because she did something that doesn’t make any sense. If there is an innocent explanation to this and she was not actually trying to skate past CBP with an extra $37,000 by filing a FinCen105 for a lower amount, then my guess is she misunderstood how to fill out the form. Just because your a U.S. citizen doesn’t mean your English is great or your very smart.

Also, I wonder if she just had a connecting flight at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, or if she really was just heading to the Netherlands. I don’t see much seizure activity to Western European nations, so it would be a surprise. Here’s the full story (linked here):

STERLING, Va. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than $47,000 from a Netherlands-bound traveler Friday at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Officers asked the traveler, a female U.S. citizen, how much currency she possessed. She reported $10,000 and showed officers a FINCEN-105 currency reporting form she filed with CBP earlier Friday. Officers asked if she had any additional currency and she repeated that she was transporting a total of $10,000.

CBP officers then examined her carryon bag and discovered $47,440. Officers seized the currency and returned $1,740 to the traveler for humanitarian purposes, then released her to continue her trip.

CBP is not releasing the woman’s name because she was not criminally charged.

“Grossly under reporting on both the Treasury currency reporting form and to a Customs and Border Protection officer during inspection is a clear violation of our nation’s currency reporting laws,” said Keith Fleming, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office. “Travelers must truthfully report all currency and other monetary instruments that they possess to a CBP officer.”

Although there is no limit to the amount of money that travelers may carry when crossing U.S. borders, federal law [31 U.S.C. 5316] requires that travelers report currency or monetary instruments in excess of $10,000 to a CBP officer at the airport, seaport, or land border crossing when entering or leaving the United States.

During inspections, CBP officers ensure that travelers fully understand federal currency reporting requirements and offer travelers multiple opportunities to accurately report all currency and monetary instruments they possess before examining a traveler’s carryon or checked baggage.

Consequences for violating U.S. currency reporting laws are severe; penalties may include seizure of most or all of the traveler’s currency, and potential criminal charges. On average, CBP seized about $207,000 every day in unreported or illicit currency along our nation’s borders. Learn more about what CBP accomplished during “A Typical Day” in 2019.

An individual may petition for the return of seized currency, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.

Has Dulles CBP seized your cash?

If Dulles CBP has seized your cash, we urge you to call us for a consultation before considering doing it yourself. You probably will not be happy with the outcome if you do, based on Dulles’ aggressive posture in most cases. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.