Tag: failure to report cash

Money seized by Customs in Dulles laid out on a table

Customs in Dulles Seizes $33k for Failure to File FinCen 105

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on November 15, 2022

Customs at Dulles airport has seized $33,000 from a person traveling to Egypt because that person failed to report all the money he was leaving the country with. Instead of reporting the full $33,000, he only reported $20,000 verbally (instead of properly reporting it in writing and/or online on a FinCEN 105 form before he was ever asked).

That is, at best, an attempted failure to report (because he had to be asked for the report) and an under-report/mis-report, so a clear violation of 31 USC 5316.

Here’s the story:

STERLING, Va. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers continue to seize unreported currency at Washington Dulles International Airport, after officers seized $33,000 from an Egypt-bound traveler on Tuesday

The traveler, a U.S. citizen male who CBP is not identifying because he was not criminally charged, verbally reported to officers that he possessed $20,000 and completed a U.S. Treasury Department form for his reported amount. During a baggage examination, CBP officers discovered a total of $33,868. Officers seized the currency and released the traveler.

Last month, CBP announced the seizure of $227,539 in unreported currency from four groups of travelers.

There is no limit to how much currency or other monetary instruments travelers may bring to or take out of the United States. However, federal law [31 USC 5316] requires travelers to report all currency of $10,000 or greater to a CBP officer and complete U.S. Treasury Department Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments [FINCEN 105].

CBP offers advice to travelers who may consider violating federal currency reporting laws.

“The most important lesson international travelers can take from these seizures is to truthfully report all currency in their possession to Customs and Border Protection officers when they arrive to or leave the United States. It is less painful to complete a simple form than it is to surrender all their currency for violating U.S. currency reporting laws,” said Kim Der-Yeghiayan, Acting CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C.

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.

CBP Seizes $95K in Cash at Dulles Airport

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on August 19, 2022

Dulles CBP officers made a few large money seizures for failure to file a FinCen 105 form, which it touted last week in a news release, available to read in full here. However, I’m an attorney here blog about the highlights. First, however, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are two-thousand words:

Here’s the money seizure story to back up the picture:

Three groups of travelers recently learned [holding onto one’s money is imperative] after CBP officers seized a combined $95,397 in unreported currency at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Two groups of travelers were attempting to board departing international flights when CBP officers encountered them. A Lebanon-bound couple surrendered $29,052 to CBP officers on July 21, and a Nepal-bound family surrendered $32,001 to CBP officers on July 26. On July 31, a South Korean family surrendered $34,344 to CBP officers after arriving on a flight from South Korea.

In each case, CBP officers discovered more currency during baggage examinations than what the travelers reported to CBP officers. CBP officers seized their currency and released all travelers to continue their trips.

The story has interesting use of the word “surrender.” As if they had a choice! Unless, of course, CBP means they “abandoned” the currency. That’s a terrifying reality we’ve made a video about (here).

Also, releasing “all travelers to continue their trips” does not mean they did were able to make their flight (highly doubtful!) or did not have any re-booking and hotel fees. The seizure of money by CBP has add-on effects; the interrogation, counting, and seizure procedures are time-consuming and so typically, you miss the flight (and so maybe your bags, if they’ve already been loaded); you are responsible to re-book on another flight; and if the next flight isn’t for a day or more, you’ve got to sleep in a hotel.

Has Dulles CBP seized your cash?

CBP Laredo Seizes $91K in Unreported Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on March 19, 2022

CBP new’s releases have been lean on stories about money seizures for structuring, bulk cash smuggling, failure to report; the trinity of CMIR (currency and monetary instrument report) cases. These types of asset forfeitures all pertain to the movement of more than $10,000 in cash without filing the necessary FinCen 105 report.

For that reason, I am reaching back in time to some old news releases that I never had a chance to comment on before. In this Laredo story, a 30 year old man and 19 year old woman were heading to Mexico and failure to report $91,116, which was also concealed in their clothing and packages.

That sounds like both a violation of 31 USC 5316 (failure to report more than $10,000 currency) and 31 USC 5332 (bulk cash smuggling). In this case, the they were both arrested! That to me means there was further suspicion on the part of CBP that there was criminal activity beyond the CMIR violations afoot. Here’s the full story:

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers working outbound operations seized over $91,000 in undeclared currency in a single enforcement act.

. . .

The enforcement action occurred on Thursday, March 25 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge, when officers assigned to outbound operations selected a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox traveling to Mexico for inspection. A 30-year-old male United States citizen driver and 19-year-old female passenger were referred for a secondary examination. Upon physical inspection of the drivers’ clothing, packages containing $91,116 in undeclared U.S currency were discovered.

The currency was seized by CBP. Both subjects were arrested, and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

Individuals are permitted to carry any amount of currency or monetary instruments into or out of the U.S., however, if the quantity is more than $10,000, they will need to report it to CBP. . . . Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest.

Has Laredo CBP seized your money?

Has Laredo 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.

$29,000 worth of cash displayed by CBP after seizure at Dulles airport

Dulles CBP Seize $29K in Cash from Congolese Man

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on February 11, 2022

CBP seizes about $342,000 each day, on average, at airports across the country and at our borders. In this story, CBP seized about $29,000 from a Congolese man who was arriving the United States. He was not criminally charged and although the story contains a cautionary tale at the ending about bulk cash smuggling, it does not say he was actually bulk cash smuggling.

Here’s the story:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized $29,900 in unreported currency from a man who arrived on a flight from Ethiopia at Washington Dulles International Airport on Tuesday.

CBP officers interviewed the Congolese national traveler and explained the U.S. currency reporting law to him. The traveler declared both verbally and in writing that he possessed $10,000. During an inspection, CBP officers discovered a total of $29,900 in the man’s possession.

CBP officers seized the currency for violating U.S. currency reporting laws, then released the man. CBP is not releasing the traveler’s name because he was not criminally charged.

“The consequences for violating U.S. currency reporting laws are severe; penalties may include seizure of most or all of the traveler’s currency, or potential criminal charges,” said Daniel Escobedo, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. “Customs and Border Protection strongly encourages all travelers to be well informed of their role in CBP’s international arrivals inspection process at CBP’s Travel website.”

CBP officers have observed that smuggled bulk currency may be the proceeds of illicit activity, such as proceeds from the sales of dangerous drugs or revenue from financial crimes, and officers work hard to disrupt transnational criminal organizations by intercepting their currency smuggling attempts at our nation’s borders.

Has Dulles CBP seized your cash?

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

CBP Baltimore Seizes $42k Cash from Jamaicans

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on November 10, 2021

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.

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.

$200,000 in Cash Seized by Customs Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge

Ambassador Bridge Site of $230k Customs Money Seizure

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on September 30, 2021

Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge was the site of recent money seizures of more nearly $230,000 by Customs for failure to declare cash over $10,000, in commercial vehicles traveling into Canada.

The news releases, below, says the money was taken because the driver failed to report the cash at the Ambassador Bridge (but I have to imagine there is a bulk cash smuggling violation somewhere in this, too).

Here’s the Tweet from Detroit’s director of field operations announcing the seizures…

More than $200k in cash seized by @CBP Officers at the Ambassador Bridge in two separate incidents of travelers attempting to leave the United States.
Full Details 👉 https://t.co/GZF9wsPafV pic.twitter.com/1UMFLfo18O

— CBP Great Lakes (@CBPGreatLakes) September 29, 2021

This is the biggest seizure of undeclared cash in Detroit to hit the news in a while. I’m sure the discovery of this amount of money has caused a lot of controversy and interest at the port the last few days. Here’s the full story from CBP, below:

DETROIT — Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations seized $200,000 in undeclared U.S. currency at the Canadian border early Tuesday morning.

The cash was discovered by officers during a series of outbound commercial vehicle inspections near the Ambassador Bridge port of entry.

The cache of currency was seized due to failure to report, and the driver was released without further incident.

Homeland Security Investigations continues to investigate the matter. Less than 24 hours earlier, $28,000 in undeclared currency was seized at the same site.

Update 11-12-21:

This week, notice was published of the intent to forfeit the above seized cash. Anyone with an interest in it has until January 11, 2021, to file a claim (unless they received personal notice in the mail, then other deadlines apply):

2021380100131801-0001-0000, Seized on 09/28/2021; At the port of DETROIT; U.S. Currency; 2000; EA; Valued at $200,000.00; For violation of 31 USC 5317(c)(2), 31 USC 5316(a)(1)(A), 31 USC 5332(c), 31 USC 5332(a)

Those legal references mean it was seized for bulk cash smuggling and a failure to report. This is a case I would have liked. The fact that notice has been posted publicly means that the time for filing a petition has past, or the interested person probably decided to file a claim or an offer in compromise (that would probably be a bad idea).

Has Detroit CBP seized your cash?

If CBP in Detroit 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.

A wad of cash left behind in an airplane seat, later seized by U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Baltimore CBP Seizes $82K in Cash from Traveler to Jamaica

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on August 20, 2021

Baltimore Customs officers seized cash from 4 men heading back to their native Jamaica for not reporting it; apparently, 3 of them were on the same flight. In that case, from the story below it sounds like two of the men made it onto the plane without filing the report.

A third man blew their cover, by telling the officers he was traveling with them.

The officers then entered the plane, found the other two men, and one of them had put his money into the pocket on the seat in front of him. It looks as though CBP is consider that bulk cash smuggling.

In all cases, the money was taken by CBP and seized. The men will have to respond to the notice of seizure in order to get their cash back, and prove the money came from a legitimate source, and had a legitimate intended use.

You can read the full story here.

BALTIMORE – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) continue to encounter travelers who refuse to comply with federal currency reporting laws after officers seized a combined $82,533 from four men, all heading to Montego Bay, Jamaica recently.

[ . . . ]

In the most recent case on August 6, CBP officers seized a combined $59,587 from three men, ages 34, 33 and 25. The men individually reported to CBP officers that they had $7,500, $8,000, and $8,500; however, CBP officers discovered that the men $18,522, $21,560, and $19,505, respectively.

CBP officers interviewed the first man and learned that he was traveling with the other two who officers asked to deplane the aircraft. Interestingly, CBP officers found one man’s unreported currency concealed in the seatback of his assigned seat.

Additionally, on August 4, CBP officers seized $22,946 from a 75-year-old man who told officers that he possessed $12,000.

CBP is not releasing the names of either man because none were criminally charged. All four men are naturalized U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who were born in Jamaica.

“The disregard that some travelers have for our nation’s currency reporting laws is troubling and very unwise, especially when you consider that travelers can keep all their currency simply by just being honest and declaring the full amount to a Customs and Border Protection officer,” said Keith Fleming, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office.

CBP officers have observed that unreported currency can be proceeds from illicit activities, such as financial fraud and narcotics smuggling, and work hard to disrupt the export of these illicit revenues.

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.

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.

An image of $3M in crisp bills stacked high in a cube in bundles

CBP San Diego Seized Unreported Smuggled Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on March 25, 2021

CBP in San Diego has quite a few ports, including Calexico, Otay Mesa, Cross Border Xpress, San Ysidro, and Tecate. CBP seizes cash from travelers heading into and out of Mexico from the United States at each of them. A lot of the cash seized there is for innocent reasons, such as workers moving across the border with their savings, people traveling to invest in property in Mexico, medical procedures, etc. Many of these cash seizures by customs are for a simple failure to report.

Back in September, one of these money seizures made it into the CBP news release cycle, and I’m just now getting to posting about it here. In this particular story, a vehicle was heading to Mexico at Otay Mesa , when officers discovered currency hidden (probably bulk cash smuggling!) In a backpack wrapped in a black shirt. Here’s the full story:

SAN DIEGO — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than $90,000 in currency at the ports of entry along the California borders with Mexico, encompassing Andrade, Calexico, Otay Mesa, Cross Border Xpress, San Ysidro and Tecate.

From Sept. 21 to Sept. 27, CBP officers with the help of CBP K-9 teams intercepted numerous currency smuggling attempts heading south of the border into Mexico. CBP officers identified specific vehicles for inspection resulting in the discovery of unreported currency that was being smuggled out of the country.

“I can honestly say that teamwork played a big role after seeing the successful rate of interceptions,” said Anne Maricich, Director of Field Operations for CBP in San Diego. “Their enforcement efforts and experience are put to the test regularly and the results are phenomenal when the focus is to protect this country.”

One of the most significant seizures during this past week occurred Friday when CBP officers stopped a vehicle at Otay Mesa headed into Mexico. CBP officers targeted a 2016 Cadillac CTS with two occupants. While searching the vehicle, officers discovered almost $51,000 of unreported currency hidden inside a baby backpack wrapped in a black shirt, located on floor of the front passenger side. CBP officer seized the currency.

Has San Diego CBP seized your cash?

If San Diego CBP seized your cash at Otay Mesa, Calexico, or elsewhere, 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.

$140k in Cash Bundles seized by CBP Laredo

CBP Laredo Seizes $140K Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on February 18, 2021

CBP officers in Laredo discovered and seized $140,000 cash hidden in the suitcase of a 26 year-old Mexican national who was leaving the United States for Mexico. In this case (unlike most of my cash seizure clients), the individual was arrested.

Although every failure to report cash is itself a criminal offense, it is very rare overall that someone is arrested and criminally charged for a failure to report. In my estimation, if suspects you are up to some criminal activity beyond the failure to report or smuggle cash (i.e., using it to buy/sell drugs), then you are far more likely to be arrested.

And again, why does every US-Mexico border story tell us what kind of vehicle was involved? Not relevant, and a little weird, but it was a 2014 Volvo bus.

Here’s the full story:

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers working outbound operations seized over $140,000 in undeclared currency in a single enforcement act over the weekend.

“CBP’s national security mandate is complex, ranging from anti-terrorism to more traditional counter-drug operations,” said Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry. “This seizure is a direct reflection of our continuous commitment to enforce federal currency reporting requirements.”

The enforcement action occurred on Saturday, February 13th, when officers assigned to outbound operations selected a 2014 Volvo bus traveling to Mexico for inspection. A 26-year-old male Mexican citizen passenger was referred for a secondary examination. Upon physical inspection of the subject’s personal belongings, packages containing $140,750 in undeclared currency were discovered.

The currency was seized by CBP. The subject was arrested and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

Has Laredo CBP seized your money?

Piles of money seized by Philadelphia CBP

Philadelphia CBP Seized $44,000 from Jamaica-bound Travelers

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on January 20, 2021

Philadelphia CBP seized some cash from a couple heading to Jamaica. Philly is not a notorious location for aggressive enforcement of the currency reporting requirement by CBP, but it does occasionally seize money from traveler’s entering or leaving the country for not accurately reporting it. In the story that follows, CBP seized almost $45,000 from a couple who was leaving the United States for Jamaica, after they allegedly reported only carrying $6,050 (oops!).

It was not mentioned in the story, but a picture is worth a thousand words: the money was located in their baggage. Specifically, it was placed in envelopes in the pockets of a packed pair of jeans. This looks like bulk cash smuggling! Because the money was hidden in this way the chances of an increased penalty (i.e., 50% of the amount seized) GREATLY increases. Here’s the story:

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized more than $44,000 from a Jamaica-bound couple at Philadelphia International Airport on Friday.

CBP is not releasing the couple’s names because they were not criminally charged.

During outbound inspections of the Montego Bay-bound flight, the couple reported to CBP officers that they possessed $6,050. Officers advised the couple of federal currency reporting laws and the couple confirmed that amount verbally and in writing. During an examination of the couple’s carry-on baggage, officers discovered $44,629 in U.S. dollars and $5,000 Jamaican dollars (equivalent to $35.04 in U.S. dollars) for a total of $44,664.05.

Officers returned $535.04 to the couple for humanitarian relief and released them.

“Travelers face consequences, sometimes severe, for violating U.S. currency reporting laws,” said Keith Fleming, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office. “Our best advice to travelers is to truthfully report all currency they possess to a Customs and Border Protection officer during inspection.”

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. Read more about currency reporting requirements.

. . .

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 Philadelphia CBP seized your cash?

If Philadelphia CBP seized your cash, 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.