Dulles CBP officers seize over $111k in Unreported Currency

STERLING, Virginia – Labor Day travel is just days away and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers want to remind travelers about federal currency reporting laws after CBP officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized $111,225 in unreported currency during August.

Travelers should know that there is no limit to how much currency or other monetary instruments they may bring to or take out of the United States. However, federal law [31 USC 5316] requires travelers to report all currency and monetary instruments of $10,000 or greater to a CBP officer.

Travelers possessing more than $10,000 will only need to complete a U.S. Treasury Department Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments form [FINCEN 105].

To streamline compliance, travelers can now complete and submit FINCEN form 105 electronically at https://fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov prior to a CBP arrival or departure inspection.

The August seizures included $19,790 on August 21 from a traveler who arrived from Cairo, Egypt, $14,300 on August 14 from a traveler departing to Rome, Italy, and $77,135 on August 2 from a traveler departing to Lome, Togo.

The Togo-bound traveler was a Global Entry trusted traveler member. CBP officers revoked his Global Entry status for egregiously violating the terms of his trusted traveler agreement.

CBP officers allow travelers multiple opportunities to truthfully report all currency in their possession through both a verbal and a written declaration. Officers will then conduct a gate-side baggage examination.

Travelers who fail to truthfully report all their currency risk severe consequences, including missing their flight and interrupting vacation plans, seeing all their currency seized by a CBP officer, or facing potential criminal prosecution for bulk currency smuggling.

“Federal currency reporting laws are essential in helping CBP to ensure our nation’s economic and financial security, and to protect our most vulnerable citizens from becoming unwitting victims of financial crimes,” 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.