Thread: $30,000 seized in Outbound Inspection

C.B.P. News Release

CBP Officers Stop $30,000 in Undeclared Currency from Leaving the U.S. for Mexico

11th Seizure in Past Month along California/Mexico Border

(Wednesday, September 02, 2009)

San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting southbound operations at the Otay Mesa port of entry Monday night stopped a 38-year-old man wanted for robbery and a 17-year-old girl from leaving the country with $30,000. This is the eleventh southbound currency seizure along the California/Mexico border since August 1.

At about 10:30 p.m., officers conducting southbound operations along the I-905 south stopped a 1996 Acura sedan. During questioning with the CBP officer, the driver, a 17-year-old female Mexican citizen, and resident of Downey, Calif., declared that they were carrying $2,000 in the vehicle, headed to Mexico.

Upon further inspection, officers discovered packages of money inside their luggage, and additional currency stowed on the passenger, a 38-year-old male legal permanent resident, totaling $30,000.

During fingerprinting, officers discovered that the male passenger also had a warrant for his arrest, issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, for robbery.

The declared $2,000 was returned to the girl, who was released to the custody of a relative. The man is currently being held at the San Diego County Jail.

Since August 1 of this year, CBP officers at the ports of entry along the California/Mexico border have stopped 11 southbound currency violations, stopping a total of $465,438 from leaving the United States, bound for Mexico.

It is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling more than $10,000 to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in seizure of the currency and/or arrest.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Contacts For This News Release
Jackie Dizdul
CBP Public Affairs
Phone: (619) 744-5245

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/new ... 2009_3.xml

Good! Throw that at the federal debt interest payments.