STERLING, VA.—A U.S. citizen who has been living outside of the U.S. for about 12 years returned to Washington Dulles International Airport from Qatar Thursday and faced consequences for two enforcement actions - an arrest on a 15-year-old Ohio warrant for child neglect, and a $500 civil penalty for violating federal currency reporting requirements.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers confirmed that the 1998 Miami, Ohio arrest warrant for Madhat Abdel Youssef, 52, remained active and turned Youssef over to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police.
Earlier in Youssef's examination, CBP officers issued Youssef and his wife a mitigated $500 civil penalty for the currency reporting violation. Youssef admitted to CBP officers that he and his wife possessed $6,000. While inspecting Youssef's baggage, CBP officers discovered two white envelopes that contained $4,500 and $7,400, and discovered $480 in his wallet for a total of $12,380. CBP officers returned $11,880 to Youssef's wife and released her and her two children.
"Customs and Border Protection employees take very seriously our role as federal law enforcement officers, including returning wanted fugitives to justice," said Christopher Hess, CBP port director for the Port of Washington, D.C.
CBP vets passenger manifests while international flights are inbound to the United States and identifies passengers who may require additional scrutiny, including those with outstanding arrest warrants. CBP officers at the Port of Washington recorded 121 arrests during fiscal year 2012.
CBP conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international flights, and intercepts currency, weapons, prohibited agriculture products or other illicit items.
To learn more about CBP's Border Security and Travel enforcement missions, please visit the website.