Tag: buffalo

Port of Buffalo, N.Y. border crossing check point where cbp seized cash for currency reporting violations.

Buffalo CBP Seized $207,500 of Concealed Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

CBP in Buffalo made an enormous seizure of cash just 2 days ago. The cash seizure was made when CBP stopped a man who claimed he was traveling from Massachusetts to Mississauga, Canada to deliver some copper wire. During the encounter, a dog alerted to drugs and CBP officers then found a bag with $207,500 in it.

The man is not named so it would appear at this point he has not been criminally charged. Generally, when people are criminal charged CBP publishes their names. If they are not criminally charged, the person remains anonymous in stories like this. And there is no mention of an arrest.

This is a BIG seizure for CBP in Buffalo. For instance, in 2017 Buffalo CBP officers seized a TOTAL of $144,733. This seizure alone exceeds the the TOTAL cash seized in 20171

LEWISTON, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Lewiston Bridge seized $207,500 in unreported currency.

On July 15, CBP officers inspected a tractor trailer during an outbound inspection that was driven by a 28-year-old male who is a citizen of Canada. The driver claimed he was transporting a shipment of copper wire that he was hauling from Massachusetts and destined to Mississauga, Ontario. During questioning, the driver claimed to be traveling with $300 in U.S. currency. A CBP K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics during an inspection of the cab portion of the truck. A further inspection revealed a plastic shopping bag that contained multiple bundles of U.S. currency in ten large vacuum sealed bags. Subsequently, the currency was inventoried and determined to be a total of $207,500.

“Our CBP officers remain focused on enforcement amidst the continued border restrictions,” said Port Director Jennifer De La O. “They identified an individual and conveyance that needed further inspection, they coordinated with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and they ensured that this criminal activity was disrupted.”

Has CBP Buffalo seized your cash?

If Buffalo CBP 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 their’ 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.

Trucks line up for inspection at Peace Bridge Port of Entry, Buffalo, N.Y.

CBP Buffalo Seizes $144,733 Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

During fiscal year 2017, CBP in Buffalo reports they seized cash from a total of 10 people, and a total amongst those 10 of $144,733. I didn’t have any clients among those 10 last year, but I have handled cash seizure cases in Buffalo in the past.

In years past, we’ve commented on the annual fiscal year report from CBP in Buffalo.

  • FY 2015: CBP Buffalo seized $267,323 in a total of 22 currency seizures;
  • FY 2014: CBP Buffalo seized over $450,000 in a total of 23 currency seizures;

Here’s the breakdown of all Enforcement and Traffic incidents at the Port of Buffalo from October 2016 through October 2017:

Enforcement Statistics Traffic Statistics
Narcotic Seizures

640

 Port of Entry

Personal Vehicles

Trucks
Arrests

507
Currency Seizures

10 Totaling: $144,733

 Buffalo

4,814,967

960,791
Merchandise Seizures

1,564 Totaling: $2,133,393

 Champlain

1,004,351

309,327
Inadmissibles

11,340

 Trout River

149,279

16,586
Agriculture Pest Interceptions

1,374

 Alex Bay

594,002

204,264
Trade Seizures

1,331 Totaling:

$1,712,599 DV

Massena

855,787

27,256
Intellectual Property Rights Seizures

1,230 Totaling:

$1,576,944 DV

Ogdensburg

292,808

39,283
Note: DV refers to domestic value

Have you cash seized by CBP in Buffalo?

If Buffalo CBP seized cash from you can learn more about the process from our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and can contact us for a currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

Port of Buffalo, N.Y. border crossing check point where cbp seized cash for currency reporting violations.

Buffalo CBP Seized Cash for Currency Reporting Violations in 2015

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Last year, we reported that CBP at the port of Buffalo “seized $267,323 in a total of 22 currency seizures”.  This year, CBP makes a similar report this year which shows that CBP seized cash for currency reporting violations and the total is nearly a half-million dollars.

What’s the take away? Never make a failure to report cash to CBP Buffalo, never smuggle bulk cash, and never divide money to avoid the reporting requirement. Here’s excerpt from the Buffalo CBP story:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees from the Buffalo Field Office, Office of Field Operations, had a successful fiscal year in 2015, which began October 1, 2014, and ended September 30, 2015. The Buffalo Field Office made over 380 narcotic seizures, over 400 arrests and seized more than $450,000 in unreported currency.

Last year there were 22 cash seizures in Buffalo, for an average cash seizure amount of just over $12,000. This year, there were 23 seizures and the average amount of seized cash by CBP in Buffalo was $19,579. That probably means that people were, on average, carrying more cash than in 2014.

The best way to hang on to your cash is to report it to Customs. When in doubt, report. Travelers make lots of unnecessary problem for themselves by attempting to get around the reporting requirement. Educate yourself before traveling with cash into or out of the United States and the chances of a cash seizure will be significantly lessened as long as you’re not an otherwise suspicious individual.

Has CBP seized cash for currency reporting violations from you?

If Buffalo CBP seized cash from you can learn more about the process from our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

 

Dangerous Baby Clothing Seized by CBP

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

When importing into the United States an importer must make sure to comply with the customs laws for classification, valuation, invoicing, etc. But they also must make sure that they’re products are not harmful or in violations of the myriad of other regulations enforced by CBP at the border; whether they be FDA, Department of Agriculture, or the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Recently, a shipment of baby clothing imported into the United States was seized by Customs because it was tainted with lead.

The story here:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Lewiston Bridge seized a shipment of baby clothing containing lead.

On March 19, CBP officers, working in collaboration with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, examined a shipment of children’s clothing manufactured in China. Preliminary findings resulted in the discovery of possible lead contamination. Samples were shipped to CPSC’s Product Testing and Evaluation Center who confirmed the clothing contained excessive amounts of lead on clothing components. The shipment was seized under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and will be destroyed.

“Our close working relationship with CPSC prevented extremely harmful clothing from entering commerce and potentially prevented some serious health issues,” said Joseph Draganac, acting port director for the Port of Buffalo.

If you run afoul of U.S. Customs and had your property seized, call our office at (734) 855-4999 to speak to a lawyer, or e-mail us through our contact page. We are able to assist with cash seized by customs nationwide.

Port of Buffalo, N.Y. border crossing check point where cbp seized cash for currency reporting violations.

Port of Buffalo Customs Currency Seizures by the Numbers (FY 2014)

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Last week the Port of Buffalo released its enforcement data for 2014. I do not have any other regional data from other ports to compare it to, but it is clear that there are far more customs currency seizures at the Port of Detroit than at the Port of Buffalo.

For the fiscal year 2014, the Port of Buffalo in New York seized $267,323 in a total of 22 currency seizures; on average then, each seizure would be about $12,100. In comparison, in the Port of Detroit in Michigan for fiscal year 2013, customs seized more than $5 million at places like Detroit Metro Airport, The Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. For the same period of time the national daily average of currency seizures by Customs was $650,000.

Has Buffalo CBP seized cash from you?

If Buffalo CBP seized cash from you can learn more about the process from our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.