STERLING, Virginia — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized nearly $53,000 during two outbound currency examinations Thursday at Washington Dulles International Airport.
CBP is not releasing the travelers’ names because none were criminally charged.
currency in a traveler's backpack.
While inspecting passengers boarding a flight to Belgium, CBP officers seized $35,688 from a Cameroon man who reported that he possessed $26,000. Officers discovered a combined $27,500 in six envelopes in a backpack, and an additional $7,500 in the man’s carry-on bag. Officers retained $34,000 and released $1,688 to the man for humanitarian purpose.
While inspecting passengers boarding a later flight to Turkey, CBP officers seized $17,122 from a U.S. family bound for Sudan. The family reported that they possessed $11,000. Officers retained $16,500 and released $621 to the family for humanitarian purpose.
In both cases, the passengers were released to continue their travel.
Travelers may carry as much currency as they wish into and out of the United States. Federal law requires that travelers must report all U.S. and foreign monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or greater on a U.S. Treasury Department financial form. None of the currency is taxed.
“Customs and Border Protection encourages travelers to be completely honest when reporting all their currency during an inspection with a CBP officer, or they may incur civil or criminal penalties,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s Field Operations Director in Baltimore. “CBP officers conduct outbound examinations to safeguard the revenue of the U.S., and to intercept potentially illicit proceeds that support transnational criminal organizations.”
Travelers are encouraged to visit CBP’s Travel website to learn more about rules governing travel to and from the U.S.
Almost a million times each day, CBP officers welcome international travelers into the U.S. In screening both foreign visitors and U.S. citizens, CBP uses a variety of techniques to intercept narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit merchandise, prohibited agriculture and other illicit products to assure that global tourism remains safe and strong.
On a typical day, CBP seizes $265,205 in undeclared or illicit currency along our nation’s borders. Learn more about what CBP did during "A Typical Day" in 2017.
CBP's border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.
Learn more about CBP at CBP.gov.