Tag: jordan

Dulles CBP K9s Sniff $171K in Unreported Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

With all the tariff news its easy to forget about CBP’s prowess in seizing cash from traveler’s for (real, perceived, or ginned-up) of the currency reporting requirements that obligate travelers arriving or leaving with more than $10,000 to accurately report it to CBP (on their own, before being asked or stopped!).

Thus, CBP at Dulles Aiport (IAD) was in the news 10 days ago touting the seizure of a total of $171,016 from 10 travelers from March 5 to April 10, with the aid of the K9 named “Fuzz” who alerted CBP to the presence of cash in 6 of those 10 money seizures.

STERLING, Va. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection currency detector dogs Fuzz and Cigy lent a paw in helping CBP officers detect and seize over $30,406 in unreported currency this weekend and $171,016 since March 5 at Washington Dulles International Airport from travelers who violated federal currency reporting laws.

Customs and Border Protection officers and canines continue to enforce currency reporting laws at Washington Dulles International Airport after seizing $171,016 in 10 incidents from March 5 through April 6, 2025.
K9 Fuzz is a four-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever trained to detect currency and firearms.

On Saturday, CBP officers seized $13,046 from a traveler departing to Brussels, Belgium, and on Sunday, CBP officers seized $17,360 from a traveler departing to Amman, Jordan, after currency detector dog Fuzz, a four-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, alerted to bulk currency in the traveler’s possession.

These seizures follow a busy month of currency reporting violations in March in which CBP officers seized $140,610 collectively during eight incidents. In those cases, four travelers were departing to Accra, Ghana, two to Lagos, Nigeria, and two to Seoul, South Korea.

In six of these 10 seizures, CBP currency detector dogs Fuzz or Cigy, a 2-year-old male German shepherd mix, alerted CBP officers to the presence of bulk currency.

Unreported bulk currency may sometimes be the proceeds of illegal activity, such as financial fraud and money scams. Greed may also cause some travelers to smuggle unreported currency that they may have lawfully attained to shield it from family or business partners.

“Federal currency reporting laws help CBP combat illicit financial activity at our nation’s ports of entry, which contributes to the financial security of our nation and to the protection of our most vulnerable citizens from becoming unwitting victims of financial crime,” said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. “CBP officers balance our homeland security mission with facilitating lawful international travel and our highly trained detector dogs help CBP officers to quickly find that proverbial unlawful needle in the haystack.”

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.

Don’t Delay – There is No Time to Waste

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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.

Seized cash in sealed shirt bags

CBP Chicago Seizes $107k Cash

Posted by Jason P. Wapiennik on

Finally, a customs cash seizure in Chicago has made the news! This story involved over $100,000 being taken out of the country and into Jordan. The story states that at least part of the $107,360 was concealed in “several sealed shirt bags” which then prompted the individual to declare $107,000. Our Chicago office sees a few cash seizure cases each year.

Interestingly, the story states that it was seized because the passenger “failed to properly report” the cash — but they do not state that it was seized for bulk cash smuggling. Based on the explanation in the story, I would expect it to also be seized for bulk cash smuggling violations — which could mean a loss of 50% of the money by the individual even if they can prove it came from a legitimate source and had a legitimate intended use.

CHICAGO—On April 11, 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers assigned to O’Hare International Airport intercepted one male subject concealing $107,360 during an Outbound Enforcement Operation.The passenger was traveling alone on his way to Jordan. When asked, the passenger gave a currency declaration for monetary instruments in the amount of $20,000. However, during inspection of the subject’s carryon baggage, several sealed shirt bags were found and inspected revealing numerous bundles of $100 bills. When CBP Officers found the concealed currency, the subject stated he actually had $107,000.

CBP seized the money because the passenger failed to properly report he was traveling outside of the United States with more than $10,000 as required by 31 USC § 5316.

Has CBP Chicago Seized Your Cash?

If CBP Chicago seized your cash at Chicago O’Hare Airport or Midway airport, you should give us a call for a free currency seizure consultation and make use of our free customs cash seizure legal guide.