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According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) media release, officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized $19,000 in unreported currency from a couple of Morocco-bound travelers over the holidays. 

The couple was stopped at the airport (CBP will usually stop you as you board your flight) and told CBP they understood the federal currency reporting requirements. They then signed a document saying they possessed $8,000 in currency. As a side note – this is the FinCen form. I believe CBP stops people as they board the flight as people are usually in a hurry and want to just get on their flight – so may not correctly declare how much money they are carrying.

As you are aware, you have to report to CBP if you are carrying $10,000 in currency. CBP will not take it away and the amount is not taxed – it just has to be reported.

In this instance, CBP officers discovered $19,651 in currency (they will count the traveling group as 1, and not each individual member of the group). CBP also released back to the travelers $651 in what is known as “humanitarian purposes” before the travelers boarded their flight.

If you have had your hard earned money seized by Customs, or if you experience any customs seizure, contact experienced customs law attorney David Hsu by email/text at 832-896-6288 or attorney.dave@yahoo.com, dh@gjatradelaw.com.