Tag: currency reporting requirement

Stacks of cash and a pile of envelopes seized by U.S. Customs & Border Protection

$15k in Cash Not Reported to Customs at Dulles Airport, Seized

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

CBP seized $15,000 in cash that was being transported to Ghana from a traveler at Dulles Airport.

The story, quoted below, references some “travel tips” shared by CBP Dulles. Apparently, the ‘travel tips’ advise about “truthfully report[ing] all currency they possess to a CBP officer during inspection.”

That’s a good idea, but the best idea is to report it to a CBP officer before inspection, as the law requires. 

In this money seizure encounter, a dog alerted the currency and CBP asked him how much he carried after they “explained the currency reporting requirements” (i.e., report what you carry if more than $10,000).

At this point, the violation of the currency reporting requirements has occurred. The money has not been reported to CBP, and the man likely is about to leave the United States. That’s all that’s necessary to violate the reporting requirement under 31 USC 5316.

The man reported he had $8,000, verbally and in writing.This is the man then digging himself into a deeper hole with CBP. Perhaps they would look past his initial failure to report if he accurately reported how much he was carrying when he was asked by CBP, after the dog alerted to money. Maybe, maybe not. But at this point, incorrectly stating the amount of cash you have on you is not going to end well; it will end in a seizure of the money.

The story, as reported by CBP, follows:

STERLING, Virginia — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently issued travel tips for international travel through Washington Dulles International Airport. Chiefly among those tips is for travelers to truthfully report all currency they possess to a CBP officer during inspection. 

A traveler leaving for Ghana Wednesday learned that lesson when CBP officers seized $15,415 of unreported currency he had in his possession.

While working a departure gate at Dulles airport, a CBP currency detector dog alerted to a carry-on bag that a U.S. citizen man carried. Officers explained the currency reporting requirements to the man and the man reported verbally and in writing that he possessed $8,000. An examination revealed that the man possessed $15,415. Officers seized the currency and returned $115 to the man as a humanitarian release, and then released the traveler. 

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 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.

Piles of cash seized by CBP officers at Philadelphia airport.

Philadelphia CBP Seizes $17k in Cash to Jamaica

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

CBP in Philadelphia seized almost $17,000 from a Jamaican national who is also a permanent resident of the United States. CBP does enforce the currency reporting requirement in Philadelphia, but based on my own experience, they do not do so very often. Therefore, this man is probably not a very lucky guy.

As the press release states, he reported only having $8,000 to CBP officer who asked him how much cash he was carrying, but they later discovered a total of $16,542 in his carry-on bag. He was not arrested.

If you have had cash seized at Philadelphia International Airport, you’re among the few. The last case I had in Philadelphia was in 2016, and the only other time before that was in 2015, despite having done nearly 350 cases at other ports/locations around the country. In both instances, the case number and timing of the seizure told me that CBP in Philadelphia seizes property at the airport from travelers probably less than 200 times per year.

But CBP at Philadelphia International Airport has had some big seizures. About a year ago we wrote about two customs cash seizures at Philly International Airport that totaled $152,000.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized $16,542 in unreported currency from a Jamaica-bound man at Philadelphia International Airport Thursday. Here’s the story:

The man, a Jamaican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, verbally told CBP officers that he possessed $6,000. Officers explained federal currency reporting requirements and the man verbally and in writing reported that he possessed $8,000. Officers discovered $16,542 in the man’s carry-on bag. Officers seized the currency and released the traveler.

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 $10,000or more in currency [Editor: incorrect, “more than $10,000” is the requirement] 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.

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.

“When Customs and Border Protection officers encounter travelers who don’t properly declare or they conceal large amounts of currency when leaving the country, there can be links to transnational criminal organizations,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s Field Operations Director in Baltimore. “The hard work and success of our officers demonstrates CBP’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling these groups and the illicit operations they conduct.”

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

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.“

 

A pile of $20 bills on a table.

CBP Seizes $11k Cash from Vietnamese Couple at Dulles

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Customs officers at Dulles airport seized more than $11,000 from a couple traveling to Vietnam. According to the story, they originally reported traveling with $4,000; then changed that to $7,000; then made a written report that they had $9,000; and ultimately, were found to have $11,822.

The law which requires the report, 31 USC 5316, essentially requires that you make the report in writing. Technically, if you are about to leave the country and have made no effort to report the money to CBP, you are in violation of the reporting requirement — because clearly you are attempting to break the law (by act or omission). So, even if this couple had made a fully accurate report the first time they were asked, they could still be responsible for a currency reporting violation under 31 USC 5316.

The other important thing to note is that the report must be accurate down to the penny, or the reporter would still be in violation of the reporting requirement, and could have all their cash seized by Customs.

You can read all about the currency reporting laws, and what to do when you’ve had your money seized by accessing our customs money seizure legal guide.

STERLING, Va. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers continue to enforce a variety of U.S. laws at Washington Dulles International Airport, including [ . . . ] seizing $11,822 of unreported currency from a Vietnam-bound couple.

CBP is not releasing the travelers’ names because none was criminally charged.

During outbound inspection operations Tuesday, CBP officers seized $11,882 in unreported currency from a couple boarding a flight to Vietnam.  The couple verbally reported that they possessed $4,000.  After officers read the currency reporting requirements, the couple stated they possessed $7,000, then they wrote down that they possessed $9,000.  An examination revealed currency in the woman’s purse, and additional currency concealed in one of two pairs of pants the man wore.

Travelers may carry as much currency as they wish into and out of the United States.  Federal law requires that travelers 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.

CBP officers provided a humanitarian monetary release of $322 to the couple, and released them to continue their travel.

Has Dulles CBP seized your cash?

If Dulles CBP seized your cash, beware that you stand to lose a lot of it because of their aggressive penalization of bulk cash smuggling and structuring offenses. You should contact our customs lawyer for a free cash seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

 

Over $140,000 in cash stacked in piles on a table after seizure by CBP at Dulles airport

3 Airport Cash Seizures at Dulles Result in $140,000 Seized

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Customs officers in Dulles continue their high-profile cash seizures, by seizing more than nearly $150,000 in three separate seizure incidents from travelers heading to Ghana.

In this story, CBP reports that in the first seizure CBP seized cash valued at more than $100,000 from a man who leaving the United States destined for Accra, Ghana, who only claimed he was traveling with $2,000.

In the second cash seizure incident at Dulles, a man was arriving from Ghana who was carrying $20,000.

In the third incident, a man leaving for Ghana reported only transporting $5,000, but in reality had more than $23,000.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than $143,968 in unreported currency from two men who departed for Ghana and one who arrived from Ghana in three separate incidents during the weekend at Washington Dulles International Airport.

CBP is not releasing the travelers’ names because none was criminally charged.

During outbound inspection operations Sunday, CBP officers seized $100,111 from a man destined to Accra, Ghana who initially claimed that he possessed $2,000. CBP officers discovered $10,000 in each of 10 bank envelopes in the man’s backpack.

Earlier Sunday, CBP officers seized $20,031 from a man who arrived from Ghana who initially reported that he possessed $10,000. During an inspection, CBP officers discovered an additional $10,000 wrapped in a t-shirt in the man’s carry-on bag, plus another $31 in loose pocket currency.

On Saturday, CBP officers seized $23,826 from a man bound for Ghana after a currency detector dog alerted to his carry-on bag. The man initially reported that he possessed $5,000. A baggage exam revealed $23,826 in a suit jacket and camera bag.

All three seizures seem to fairly involve bulk cash smuggling, which means that I expect Dulles to try to keep around 50% of the seized cash as a penalty.

Has Dulles CBP seized your cash?

If Dulles CBP seized your cash, beware that you stand to lose a lot of it because of their aggressive penalization of bulk cash smuggling and structuring offenses. You should read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and contact our customs lawyer for a free cash seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.