Dulles CBP officers seize nearly $190k in Unreported Currency

CBP reminds Holiday travelers to truthfully report all their currency during a CBP inspection

STERLING, Virginia – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers remind travelers planning holiday trips to vacation or to visit family overseas of the consequences of violating federal currency reporting laws. Eight groups of travelers who separately departed Washington Dulles International Airport recently learned that lesson and witnessed their currency being seized.

The unreported currency seizures occurred between Wednesday and October 27, with a combined value of nearly $190,000.

The largest amount of currency in a single seizure was almost $50,000 on October 27 from a pair of travelers departing to Ghana. The pair reported verbally and in writing that they possessed $9,250; however, CBP officers discovered four envelopes during a carryon baggage inspection that contained a combined $40,000 in unreported currency.

The travelers attempted to board flights to Belgium, Ghana, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Togo.

During each inspection, CBP officers afforded travelers multiple opportunities to truthfully report verbally and in writing all currency in their possession. Each traveler chose to underreport their currency. CBP officers then conducted a gate-side examination and discovered additional currency.

Here’s the catch, travelers can travel with any amount of currency and other monetary instruments that they choose, but any amounts over $10,000 must be reported to the U.S. Treasury. Travelers can complete the form before heading out to the airport or can ask CBP officers to assist them in completing the form at the departure gate.

That form is a U.S. Treasury Department Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments form [FINCEN 105]. It takes just a few minutes. CBP even streamlined the compliance process so that travelers can complete and submit the FINCEN form 105 online at https://fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov prior to arriving at their airport departure gate.

Witnessing their currency being seized is a very serious consequence, but accountability may not stop there. Travelers also risk missing their flight should the CBP examination result in seizure, and violators face potential criminal prosecution for bulk currency smuggling.

“It’s the holiday season and we know that people will travel internationally to a vacation spot or to spend time with family. We also understand that many travelers will be transporting currency to buy gifts for, or to present as a gift to family. We urge you to save yourself time and inconvenience, and guard against a possibly delayed start to your travel plans by truthfully complying with our nation’s currency reporting laws,” said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C.

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.

CBP officers and agents seized an average of $152,418 in unreported or illicit currency every day along our nation’s borders during fiscal year 2024. See what else CBP accomplished during "A Typical Day" last year.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

Learn more at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on X at @DFOBaltimorefor breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos, and CBP’s Office of Field Operations on Instagram at @cbpfieldops.