Tag: bwi

Piles of U.S. Currency seized by CBP in Baltimore

CBP Baltimore Seizes $42k Cash from Jamaicans

CBP in Baltimore seized some cash from travelers, in 2 incidents, who were traveling to Jamaica. The story from CBP in its original form is here:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized nearly $41,933 in unreported currency recently from travelers heading to Jamaica at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). . . .

On Tuesday, CBP officers seized $15,433 from a Jamaican citizen who attempted to board a flight to Montego Bay. The man reported, both verbally and in writing, that he possessed $7,000. CBP officers discovered $11,566 in his carry-on bag and an additional $3,867 in his checked baggage.

CBP officers at BWI earlier seized $13,000 in unreported currency from a mother and daughter as they were boarding a flight to Montego Bay on May 31 and seized $13,500 in unreported currency from a Jamaican man boarding a Montego Bay-bound flight on May 29.

Piles of cash seized by CBP in Baltimore

The 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. 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.

Have you had cash seized from CBP at Baltimore Washington International Airport?

If CBP at Baltimore Washington International Airport has seized your cash, you need a lawyer. Read 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.

CBP officers seized $80,388 from five travelers who violated U.S. currency reporting laws.

Baltimore CBP Seizes Cash (and Marijuana)

CBP seizes cash from traveler’s all around the country. Although it does not seem to happen too frequently from my own experience, money seizures at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) are on the rise.

Here is a recent story from CBP, where CBP seized cash from 5 travelers valued at about $80,000:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) continue to seize unreported currency and marijuana from travelers who deliberately ignore our nation’s laws.

During the past five weeks, CBP officers have seized a combined $80,388 in unreported currency from five travelers and assessed a combined $4,000 in Zero Tolerance penalties to eight travelers for marijuana possession. Officers seized marijuana from two additional couples but did not assess civil penalties in those cases.

Customs and Border Protection officers have seized $80,388 in unreported currency and assessed $4,000 in civil penalties in 15 incidents during the past five weeks at BWI Airport. Officers continue to see an alarming trend in passengers traveling with marijuana and underreporting their currency.

* * *

Additionally, U.S. federal law [31 U.S.C. 5316] requires travelers to truthfully report all currency that they possess to a CBP officer, and that they complete a U.S. Treasury Department form (FINCEN 105) for all currency and other monetary instruments that exceed $10,000. Read more about currency reporting requirements.

“We want travelers to be assured that they may carry as much currency as they wish into and out of the United States, and Customs and Border Protection officers will help them to complete the necessary Treasury form if required, but travelers should also know any actions less than truthful could result in them missing their departure flight,” Rottman said.

Customs and Border Protection officers have seized $80,388 in unreported currency and assessed $4,000 in civil penalties in 15 incidents during the past five weeks at BWI Airport.

Have you had cash seized by Baltimore CBP?

If CBP Baltimore seized your cash, you need a lawyer. Read 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.

$20,000 in U.S. Currency stacked in piles after seizure by Customs at Boston Logan airport.

Customs seizures $21k cash at Baltimore airport (BWI)

Customs officers confiscated about $21,000 from a couple coming to the United States from Nigeria in early June. The cash seizure took place in Baltimore, at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. 

The story points out the potential criminal consequences of not reporting money, and also incorrectly states the law (again, saying “$10,000 or more” rather than “more than $10,000” as the requirement for reporting cash to CBP on FinCen 105).

The story, originally published here by CBP, is below: 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized nearly $21,000 of unreported currency Friday at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

A Nigerian couple, who arrived on a flight from London, reported to CBP officers that they possessed $15,000 in currency. Officers discovered an additional $5,850 in the woman’s purse. Officers seized $20,850 and then released $4,990 to the couple as humanitarian relief. Officers released the couple to continue their visit.

It is perfectly legal to carry large sums of currency in or out of the United States. However, federal law requires that travelers who possess $10,000 or more [ugh! it’s more than $10,000] in currency or other monetary instruments must report it all to a CBP officer at the airport, seaport, or land border crossing when entering or leaving the country.

“Customs and Border Protection officers are highly trained to uncover illicit activity and they are committed to enforcing the laws of the United States,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s Field Operations Director in Baltimore. “Unreported currency often can be proceeds from alleged illicit activity, or used to fund transnational criminal organizations and I commend our officers on this interception”.

CBP recently issued travel tips for international travel through BWI. Chiefly among those tips is for travelers to truthfully report all currency they possess to a CBP officer during inspection.

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.

CBP uses a variety of techniques to intercept narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products, and to assure that global tourism remains safe and strong. On a typical day, CBP seizes an average of about $290,000 in unreported or illicit currency along our nation’s borders. Learn more about what CBP accomplishes during “A Typical Day.

 

U.S. Money Seized by Customs (CBP) Stacked on a Table with Envelopes

CBP Seizes Money for Currency Reporting Violations at Dulles & BWI Airports

CBP seizes more than $32,000 for currency reporting violations at Dulles and BWI airport last week. The news release reveal the travelers were a U.S. citizen and a Nigerian citizen, and were involved in two separate currency reporting incidents.

Before getting into the details, the news release explains:

“Federal currency reporting requirements are simple.  International travelers can carry as much currency as they wish into and out of the United States, but they must report all U.S. and foreign monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or greater on a U.S. Treasury Department financial form.  None of the currency is taxed.”

All true, except the reporting requirement applies to “more than $10,000” not “$10,000 or greater.” The story gives some good details on each of the seizures cases:

On Friday, CBP officers seized $13,821 from a Nigerian citizen at BWI.  He reported to CBP officers that he possessed $9,000.  During a secondary examination, CBP officers discovered British pounds concealed inside a carry-on bag.  The traveler then tossed a wad of rolled up currency on the examining table.  The currency, which consisted of dollars, pounds and Euros equaled $13,821.  CBP officers seized the currency and returned $500 to the traveler for humanitarian purposes.

“The traveler then tossed a wad of rolled up currency on the examining table” after reporting he had $9,000. The wad totaled $13,821. If this traveler had read our article about a case in Miami, he would have known that throwing money at CBP is not the same as reporting it.

The other incident reveals how unhelpful CBP can be at times.

On Thursday, CBP officers seized $18,578 from a U.S. citizen who arrived to Dulles on a flight from Dubai. She initially reported that she possessed $10,000. CBP officers found additional currency and checks during a secondary examination. CBP officers released $322 and two checks totaling $56 for humanitarian purposes.

$322 in humanitarian relief is pretty good. But $56 in two checks? I’ve had clients left with nothing after a seizure. Not even enough change to pay for a baggage cart. I can imagine how grateful this person was to receive two checks that totaled $56. The real reason they returned the checks was because they weren’t worth much, and CBP did not want to go through the trouble of depositing them and including them as part of the seizure

If you had cash seized for a currency reporting violation, make use of our free customs money seizure legal guide or contact us for a free currency reporting violation consultation!

Violation of Federal Currency Reporting Regulations at BWI

Baltimore Washington International Airport, to the best of my knowledge, does not have a high rate of enforcement in cash seizures by U.S. Customs & Border Protection. But, every once in a while the port touts their enforcement efforts in connection with this important area of law – the federal currency reporting regulations.

What follow is such a story, from a couple traveling to Nigeria with almost $35,000 in cash. According to the story, the couple violated “federal currency reporting regulations” which can mean they broke any number of laws such as a failure to report cash to customs, bulk cash smuggling, or unlawful structuring.

It is likely that this is a cash structuring offense because it involves a couple. For example, the husband could have given the wife $10,000 to carry that he (incorrectly) believed she would not have to report because it was not “more than” $10,000.

If he did that, however, this would be unlawful structuring and, by the very commission of unlawful structuring, also a failure to report.

BALTIMORE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO), at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport seized $34,030 Saturday from a Nigerian couple for violating federal currency reporting regulations.

The two travelers, who arrived on a flight from the United Kingdom reported carrying $8,000 to CBP officers however; multiple envelopes of currency totaling $34,030 were discovered in their bags. CBP officers seized the $34,030 returning $1,030 for humanitarian release and advised them how to petition for the return of the rest of the currency.

Have you violated the federal currency reporting regulations?

If you violated the federal currency reporting regulations, you really need a lawyer. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and can contact us for a free cash seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

A picture of a CBP officer watching travelers at an airport. CBP Officers at Philadelphia International Airport seized $26,000 from a couple going to Greece for a failure to report the cash

CBP Seizes $12K at Baltimore Washington International Airport

CBP issued a news release about the seizure of little more than $12,000 from a woman traveling from a woman traveling from the UK to the USA who did not report the currency at Baltimore Washington International Airport.

Is it a big deal? Yes, any violation of the law is a big deal and carries with a potential for criminal prosecution, heavy fines, jail time, forfeiture (loss) of the money, along with shame, embarrassment, and everything else.

But is such a big deal that should make headlines? I don’t think so. These kind of cash seizures happen all the time all around the country at airports and land border crossings between the United States and Canada. There’s a lot more noteworthy seizures and even more noteworthy cash seizures that CBP could make public, but does not. Why? I have no idea.

The only purpose I see in reporting a relatively small violation of the reporting requirement — where the violator was not criminally charged and was even advised to file a petition — is that it serves some public good in making it known to others that they need to report cash if carrying more than $10,000 into or out of the United States.

Without further ado, here is the meat of the story from CBP:

BALTIMORE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO), at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport seized $12,322 Tuesday from a Nigerian woman for violating federal currency reporting regulations.

A woman, who arrived on a flight from the United Kingdom reported carrying $9,000 to CBP officers however; multiple envelopes of currency totaling $12,322 was discovered in her luggage. CBP officers seized the $12,322 returning $322 for humanitarian release and advised her how to petition for the return of the currency.

Have you had cash seized from CBP at Baltimore Washington International Airport?

If CBP at Baltimore Washington International Airport has seized your cash, you need a lawyer. Read 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.