Tag: eagle pass

Stacks containing $124,052 in unreported currency seized by CBP officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

Texas CBP Seizes $124K cash at Eagle Pass

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on April 20, 2024

Texas CBP officers seized $124,000 in Eagle Pass, Texas, on March 20, when a Mexican national traveled with $124,052, apparently hidden in his vehicle.

Although no details are given about how the money was hidden, it is probably a case of classic bulk cash smuggling (watch an explanation of bulk cash smuggling). Here’s CBP’s summary of the incident:

EAGLE PASS, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry recently seized over $124,000 in unreported currency hidden within a vehicle during an outbound examination.

“This seizure reflects the vigilant inspectional [sic] work of our frontline officers and their commitment to our border security mission,” said Port Director Pete Beattie, Eagle Pass Port of Entry. “Undeclared bulk cash seizures like these, often proceeds from illicit activity, have significant impact on those who fail to comply with federal currency reporting requirements, including transnational criminal organizations.”

The seizure occurred on Wednesday, March 20 at the Camino Real International Bridge when a CBP officer referred a southbound vehicle driven by a 48-year-old male Mexican citizen for secondary examination. After initial inspection, CBP officers conducted an intensive secondary examination and discovered a total of $124,052 in unreported currency concealed within the vehicle.

Has Texas CBP seized your bulk cash?

Has Texas CBP seized your bulk cash? If so, we can help. Read our helpful customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

Stacks of bills totaling $16,152 in unreported currency seized by CBP officers at Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

Texas CBP Seizes $12k Currency Outbound to Mexio

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on May 26, 2020

If it wasn’t for the CBP currency seizures in Texas, lately, I would have no cash seizure to write about and comment on. Thus, today I write about another Texas CBP currency seizure, and again it is at the Eagle Pass port of entry, this time at the Camino Real Bridge. The CBP news release details a couple of enforcement incidents, but our focus is on the seized currency.

In this story, two male Mexican citizens traveling together carried (and thus had seized) $12,247 in “unreported currency.” When two people travel together and have money seized, we usually see Customs aggregating the currency they travel with together and then accusing them (and questioning them, often aggressively) about how “they divided the money” to not have to report it.

To give an example, in this case it’s possible the $5,000 belong to one of the guys, and the other $7,000 belonged to the second guy. When stopped by CBP and asked if they are traveling with currency, the men will respond:

“I have $5,000, and my friend has $7,000.” At this point, it’s very likely they will have their money seized because CBP has no way of knowing if you’re telling the truth and the money really belongs to both people, and not just one person who has structured (i.e., divided) the money so he does not have to report it.

I did a video that probably explains it a little better, watch it here.

That’s how it probably all happened. But here’s the story:

EAGLE PASS, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) interdicted a steady stream of undeclared currency, firearms and ammunition this week in four enforcement actions at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

“Our frontline officers continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of blending inspection skills and experience with the use of technology in these enforcement actions,” said Port Director Paul Del Rincon, Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

* * *

On Wednesday, April 29, 2020, CBP officers inspected a 2008 Saturn Astro XR traveling outbound at the Camino Real Bridge driven by a 35-year-old male Mexican citizen accompanied by a 45-year-old male Mexican citizen. During the inspection officers discovered $12,247 of unreported currency. The undeclared money was seized and both subjects were arrested and turned over to Maverick County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.

Has Texas CBP seized currency?

Has Texas CBP seized currency? If so, we can help. Read our helpful customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

Texas CBP Seizes $12k from Old Man’s Boot

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on May 22, 2020

CBP Texas seized $12,030 from a 69 year-old U.S. citizen who was heading to Mexcio. The money he carried was “hidden in his right boot” and the man was arrested and turned over to local law enforcement for investigation. Thus, the title of this post.

To be sure, failing to report money and bulk cash smuggling are crimes. In this case, hiding money in your boot and not reporting it to Customs is a crime. However, in my experience (which is limited to the client’s I’ve had), bulk cash smuggling does not result in an arrest but only an enhanced penalty.

Therefore, it is my hope that this elderly man was up to no good (i.e., carrying money on behalf of the cartels) and not just an old man who was trying to keep his money in a safe place as he headed into the criminal uncertainties of Mexico.

EAGLE PASS, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) interdicted . . . a total of $12,030 in undeclared currency … at [the] Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

On April 19, CBP officers inspected a 2013 Chevy Express van traveling outbound at the Camino Real Bridge along with the passengers. During the physical inspection of a 69-year-old male United States citizen, officers discovered $12,030 of unreported currency hidden within his right boot. The undeclared money was seized and the subject was arrested and turned over to Maverick County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.

Has Texas CBP seized your money?

Has Texas CBP seized your money? If so, we can help. Read our helpful customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

CBP Catches Cash Smuggler Red-Handed

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on June 8, 2017

The link between smuggling cash and smuggling drugs across the border is not always apparent. In fact, the currency reporting requirement was enacted to trace money entering and leaving the country that has some illegal connection, such as illegal drugs, illegal weapons, tax evasion, etc. This is why there is no penalty or tax for carrying cash across the border provided that the report is actually filed.

The connection between cash is often not obvious. Many times, especially with the larger movements of cash, the criminals are sure to move only cash, or only drugs, and thereby mitigate against the risk of seizure of both the product and the profits. However, in the story below, both drugs and cash were found and seized by CBP, making the connection to illegal activity obvious:

CBP officers at the Eagle Pass International Bridge on April 15 inspected a 1999 Ford Mustang, driven by a 30-year-old man from Lamar, Colorado, during outbound operations. After further inspection, officers found $16,152 unreported U.S. currency in a bag concealed under the passenger seat of the vehicle. Officers also found 5.5 grams of alleged cocaine in a plastic bag, 6.4 grams of alleged crystal methamphetamine in a plastic bag, 5.3 grams of alleged cocaine in a plastic bag, 17.3 grams of alleged cocaine in 54 capsules and 1.5 pills of Oxycodone. The driver was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations special agents for further investigations. CBP officers seized the vehicle, narcotics and the unreported U.S. currency.

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.

Over $200,000 in cash laid out for presentation on a wooden table as part of the money seizure in Texas by CBP.

$200k Money Seizure in Texas by CBP

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on February 1, 2016

There was a money seizure in Texas by CBP (U.S. Customs & Border Protection) of more than $200,000,

reported last week. The cash was hidden in the body panels of the vehicle, where it was found by officers when Texas CBP was conducting outbound money seizure inspections. That is classic bulk cash smuggling.

Most of our client’s are not criminally charged as seems to have happened here, but only face civil forfeiture for failure to report, bulk cash smuggling, or structuring. In this case, even if the seized money came from a legitimate source and had a legitimate intended use, it will probably all be forfeited because of the money was concealed. Even in cases where legitimate source and intended use are proven, the money can still be permanently lost because hiding the money from CBP so as to avoid reporting it is a serious crime.

Here’s the Texas CBP money seizure story:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry seized a large amount of undeclared U.S. currency recently.

Shortly before 8 p.m., Jan. 22, CBP officers at Eagle Pass Bridge I inspected a southbound 2009 Pontiac G5 before it departed the United States bound for Mexico. Upon inspection, officers found several bundles of cash hidden in a body panel of the vehicle. Officers seized a total of $207,383.

The driver, a 37-year-old man from Humble, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for federal prosecution.

Had a money seizure in Texas by CBP?

If Customs and Border Protection seized money from you, you can learn more from our trusted legal road-map of a customs money seizure and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

U.S. Customs Seizes $28k Outbound to Mexico

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on March 17, 2015

A relatively small amount of currency was seized from a Mexican couple leaving the United States last week at the southern border. The story, which comes to us from a CBP news release, makes no mention of arrest of the couple so it’s a fair assumption that there was no arrest.

Shortly before 8 a.m. on March 10, the Eagle Pass Enforcement Team – comprised of CBP officers from the Port of Entry and U.S. Border Patrol agents – inspected a 2002 Ford F-150 pickup truck as it departed the United States, bound for Mexico, via the Eagle Pass International Bridge I. Upon inspecting the pickup, which was occupied by a man and woman from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, Enforcement Team officers discovered a large quantity of one-hundred dollar bills. Officers seized a total of $28,100 in undeclared currency.

What happens to the seized currency now? Well, it will be forfeited and become property of the U.S. government unless a person with an interest in the property makes an offer in compromise, files a claim, or files a petition with CBP’s Fines, Penalties & Forfeitures office to get the money back. The money can only be returned once a legitimate source and intended use of the money is proven. In most of our client cases, we file a petition. If you want to know what a petition for return of seized currency should include, read our article on Filing a Petition for Seized Currency.

If you have had cash seized by customs and are contemplating what to do next, please make use of the other 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 Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando and many other places, and not just locally in Detroit.

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