Tag: fy 2025

Cash seizure at Detroit Metro Airport in January 2025

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

In our 15 years of helping people with cash seized by Customs, we have determined that, among all the ports in the nation, Customs in Detroit is aggressive when it comes to the enforcement of the FinCen 105 form cash reporting requirements.

What makes cash reporting enforcement aggressive by customs at Detroit Metro Airport?

Though I am (fairly) sure there are fine officers at Detroit Customs who accept a good faith effort by travelers to accurately report how much cash they are carrying, I am absolutely certain there are some who do not.

In other words, an officer acting in good faith might accept a good faith declaration of $11,500 when some in fact has $12,500. They might give them an opportunity to count the money and time fill out and complete a FinCen 105 form, and let them travel with their cash. Others will not; others will use the misdeclaration as an opportunity to seize the money, even if they discern there is not intent by the person to avoid the reporting requirement.

An aggressive officer faith might seize the cash of someone who has $10,000 in their pants pocket and another $1 they forgot stashed away in their toiletry bag. It has happened to our clients. Then they might have a celebration in front of the aggrieved traveler, causing them to feel small and like a criminal.

I only say this as means of introducing a few recent X posts by the DFO Detroit about 4 currency seizures, all of which occured in January 2025.

What kind of cash seizures are happening at Detroit Metro Airport?

First, a pair of $43,000 customs seizures happened on January 7:

Then, a week later, Detroit customs seized $14,000:

Last for the month, $18,000 was seized from a traveler returning from Vietnam:

The take-away? Report the cash, both coming and going!

Take Back Control of Your Money Today

Don’t let a failure to report cash to Customs ruin your travel plans or financial stability. At Great Lakes Customs Law, we understand the complexities and emotional stress that come with currency seizures. We have the experience and are here to help you navigate the legal process and fight for your rights.

Act Now to Protect Your Cash

  1. Contact Us for a Free Consultation: Lets discuss your case and explore your legal options. We will listen to your story, understand your needs, and develop a tailored strategy to recover your seized money.
  2. Gather Your Documentation: Start collecting all relevant documents, such as bank statements and tax returns, to support your case. We will guide you on the best way to present this information.
  3. Stay Informed and Prepared: We will keep you updated on the progress of your case and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to make informed decisions.

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Every moment counts after a Customs cash seizure. Contact us immediately to take the first step towards resolving your case and reclaiming your money. Call us at (734) 855-4999 or fill out our online contact form to get started.

Back-to-back Detroit airport money seizures are listed in this May 27 Notice of Seizure and Intent to Forfeit published by CBP

Detroit Customs Cash Forfeiture Notices: January 24, 2025

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on
Every Friday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) publishes a notice of intention to forfeit any property that has been seized recently on forfeiture.gov. In this week’s notice, Detroit CBP has announced the intention to forfeit four different currency seizures that occurred on December 30 and January 1. Below, I have summarized the details of these four cases, which collectively amount to $80,637.00. Each seizure was due to a FinCen105/cash reporting violation, commonly referred to as a “failure to report.”
The cash seized in these cases will be forfeited if a claim (or maybe a petition) has been filed by March 25, 2025.
  1. Case 2025380700022201-0001-0000:
    • Seized on: 12/30/2024
    • Port: Detroit Airport
    • Currency Retained: 309 EA
    • Value: $24,677.00
    • Violation: 31 USC 5317(c)(2), 31 USC 5316(a)(1)(A)
  2. Case 2025380700022301-0001-0000:
    • Seized on: 12/30/2024
    • Port: Detroit Airport
    • Currency Retained: 267 EA
    • Value: $21,400.00
    • Violation: 31 USC 5317(c)(2), 31 USC 5316(a)(1)(A)
  3. Case 2025380700022601-0001-0000:
    • Seized on: 01/01/2025
    • Port: Detroit Airport
    • Currency Retained: 232 EA
    • Value: $18,825.00
    • Violation: 31 USC 5317(c)(2), 31 USC 5316(a)(1)(A)
  4. Case 2025380700022901-0001-0000:
    • Seized on: 01/01/2025
    • Port: Detroit Airport
    • Currency Retained: 176 EA
    • Value: $15,735.00
    • Violation: 31 USC 5317(c)(2), 31 USC 5316(a)(1)(A)

Is Detroit CBP forfeiting your cash?

If CBP in Detroit has seized and is forfeiting your cash, you have rights to get your money back. At Great Lakes Customs Law, we monitor these notices weekly to assist our clients who have been forced to abandon their cash. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide and contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

$44,000 Smuggled Cash Seized by CBP at San Ysidro US Mexico Border

CBP San Ysidro discovers $44k in cash hidden in food bag

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

CBP in San Ysidro, California, seized a bundle of cash — literally – from a woman heading to Mexico. She was smuggling more than $44k in a plastic bag full of food. Here’s an excerpt from the tale (link):

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry intercepted the transportation of $44,148 in unreported currency hidden within a vehicle during an outbound examination last Wednesday.

On January 8, at approximately 12:30 p.m., CBP officers conducting outbound operations at the San Ysidro Port of Entry encountered a 27-year-old woman driving a 2024 sedan traveling southbound into Mexico from the United States. CBP officers referred the driver and the vehicle for a secondary examination.

CBP San Ysidro Seized This Bundle of $44000 in Cash from a Person going to Mexico
CBP officers discover more than $44k in unreported currency while conducting southbound inspections at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

In secondary, a CBP K-9 unit screened the vehicle and alerted officers to examine a white plastic bag containing food items. Upon further inspection of the white plastic bag, officers discovered a brown package that contained a total of $44,148 in unreported currency.

I’ve helped numerous people who have had money seized by CBP in San Ysidro. I’ve heard a variety of reasons for the reason my clients were carrying the money, including purchasing or selling real estate in Mexico, traveling for cosmetic or surgical procedures, or buy or selling vehicles. Among other reasons, those are the most prominent that spring to mind. None of those stories made the “news” like this one did. So what is different?

This case involves bulk cash smuggling — the intention hiding of cash that is coupled with a failure to report the cash. If the cash was reported, then it wouldn’t matter it was smuggled. Imagine the woman saying:

“Hey officer, just so you know, I’ve got $44,000 in this white bag with my Chinese take out order, and here is my FinCen 105 form.”

That would be what CBP would need to hear not seize the cash. But she didn’t, apparently, and that makes all the difference. CBP’s logic is: If the transportation of the cash was innocent, then why hide it? Very likely, this person was up to no-good with the cash and now has had it seized.

CBP then concludes the story with:

It is not a crime to carry more than $10,000, but it is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or more to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in temporary or permanent seizure of the currency and/or arrest. An individual may petition for the return of currency seized by CBP officers, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.

Has CBP in San Ysidro seized your cash?

You need a customs lawyer if CBP in San Ysidro seized your cash. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free money seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

Chart of Cash Seizures from CBP Data Portal

Detroit CBP Confiscated $459,000 from 25 Travelers in October

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

In October, at the start of CBP’s fiscal year, Detroit customs officers confiscated a total of $42,000 from two different travelers (or sets of travelers), as detailed below:

But is that all CBP seized in October 2024? Hardly. At CBP’s Data Portal, you can pull stats for currency seizures and if you look at that data, CBP confiscated almost a half-million dollars in October 2024. Here is screenshot:

Chart of Cash Seizures from CBP Data Portal

That seems like a lot. Seriously, a lot. The filter “inbound/outbound” would lead me to believe this is truly all for currency reporting violations by international travelers. CBP ends up conducting seizure and forfeiture proceedings of money for other government and state agencies, but this would appear to not include those numbers. If true, wow.

In October, there were 25 seizure events. That means, on average, CBP seized $18,360 from the travelers.

Has Detroit CBP confiscated your cash?

You need a customs lawyer if Detroit CBP confiscated cash from you. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free money seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.

$30k-seized-Detroit-CBP

Detroit CBP Cash Seizures For November Currency Reporting Violations

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Detroit CBP reports large money seizures at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), the Ambassador Bridge, and Detroit-Windsor Tunnel (they also happen at Port Hurton, too) for the month of November. These cash seizures could be avoided by filing a FinCEN 105 form by anyone who is transporting more than $10,000 into or out of the country.

Why does CBP seize cash?

CBP seizes cash because there is a lot of misinformation among travelers, the vast majority of whom are foreign-born individuals.

First, there is a misconception among the public about the reporting requirement. People will call me tell their story as part of a free consultation and say things like, “I know you can’t take more than $10,000, so…”

And I have to stop them right there and say, “No, you’re wrong there. You can take as much money as you want, you just have to file a form and give it to CBP before you leave or upon arrival.”

Second, another one I hear less frequently is, “I reported less than $10,000 because I didn’t want to have to pay taxes on it.”

Wrong. Again. There are no taxes payable on the money when you bring it in the country. I am not saying money you bring into the country is always tax free; the income tax law and the cash reporting requirement are two different things. I repeat and carefully choose my words: CBP does not collect a tax on the money that you bring into or take out of the country!

Detroit CBP Cash Seizures in November: Four Stories

All the frequently asked questions aside, let’s dive into the stories (and photos) of the cash seizures conducted by CBP officers throughout the Port of Detroit amongst (most unsuspecting) travelers who carried more cash than $10,000. First, on November 1, there was an “intentional misreport” of over $17,000.

Second, on November 3, CBP seized $27,000 from a returning U.S. Citizen who reported having on $9,600:

Then, CBP reported on all the seizures made at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a single day, which totaled $90,000!

Finally, in a single seizure from a Canadian citizen arriving in the United States, CBP seized a bit less than $20,000:

Has Detroit CBP seized cash from you for not reporting it?

You need a customs lawyer if Detroit CBP seized cash from you for not reporting it. Read our trusted customs money seizure legal guide (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free money seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.