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 manās possession.
CBP officers seized the currency for violating U.S. currency reporting laws, then released the man. CBP is not releasing the travelerās name because he was not criminally charged.
āThe consequences for violating U.S. currency reporting laws are severe; penalties may include seizure of most or all of the travelerās currency, or potential criminal charges,ā said Daniel Escobedo, CBPās Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. āCustoms and Border Protection strongly encourages all travelers to be well informed of their role in CBPās international arrivals inspection process at CBPās Travel website.ā
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 nationās borders.
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 Dullesā aggressive posture in most cases. Read our trustedĀ customs money seizure legal guideĀ (or watch the videos) and can contact us for a free currency seizure consultation by clicking the contact buttons on this page.