In March 2015, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (Customs) seized $8,188 USD and $4,901.52 of Taiwanese New Dollar cash from a traveler at the Detroit Metro Airport. The seizure was for a simple failure to report cash to Customs (recall here that there is no limit on traveling into or out of the country with more than $10,000, but the money must be properly reported to CBP to avoid seizure).
Just this June 10th, CBP in Detroit published a notice of seizure and intent to forfeit the cash (valued at $13,098.62) for that same violation of law; presumably, the reason for the delay between the seizure over 15 months ago and the publication of the forfeiture notice is that either no one could prove the money was from a legitimate source and had a legitimate intended use, the person tried to do it themselves without a lawyer (and messed up), or had a lawyer who knew nothing about the process for getting back cash seized by Customs.
To anyone who considers getting back seized money without a lawyer, be forewarned: the process is complex and we have seen many attorneys lose cases that our firm could have won because they don’t know what they are doing. Just this past week, we’ve been undoing the mess of an immigration lawyer who (in my opinion) is about to be responsible for permanently losing around $12,000 for his clients who had a money seizure at Detroit Metro Airport last year.
This person might be in the same predicament; bad advice, or no advice. And as a consequence, good-bye money! Perhaps they’ll get smart and give us a call before they don’t even stand a chance of getting back a penny.
PUBLICATION/POSTING START: June 10, 2016
PUBLICATION/POSTING END: July 09, 2016
DEADLINE TO FILE A CLAIM: August 09, 2016DETROIT, MI
2015380700055701-001-0000, Seized on 03/04/2015; At the port of DETROIT, MI; US CURRENCY RETAINED;
118; EA; Valued at $8,188.00; For violation of 31USC5317,31USC5316
2015380700055701-002-0000, Seized on 03/04/2015; At the port of DETROIT, MI; TAIWAN CURRENCY
RETAINED; 480; EA; Valued at $4,910.62; For violation of 21USC5317,31USC5316
Have you had a money seizure at Detroit Metro Airport?
If you experienced a money seizure at Detroit Metro Airport 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.