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  4. CBP Seizes $205,900 from Vehicle Bound to Santo Domingo

CBP Seizes $205,900 from Vehicle Bound to Santo Domingo

Release Date
Thu, 07/28/2011

San Juan, Puerto Rico - U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized $205,913 in U.S. dollars concealed in the roof compartment of a vehicle bound for Santo Domingo over the weekend.

During the x-ray scanning of outbound vehicles bound to board the M/V Chihuahua Star, a Ford E350 was selected for secondary inspection. The driver declared carrying only $4,500 in U.S. dollars. The physical inspection of the vehicle revealed currency concealed on the roof area of the cargo compartment in the vehicle which was removed. A final count of the seized currency including the amount the subject initially declared totaled $205,913.

It is legal to transport any amount of currency or other monetary instruments into or out of the United States. Transporting, attempting to transport, or causing to be transported currency or other monetary instruments in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000, or its foreign equivalent, at one time from the United States to any foreign country, or into the United States from any foreign country; must be reported to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Reporting is required under the Currency and Foreign Transaction Reporting Act, 31 USC 5311, et seq.; failure to comply can result in civil and criminal penalties and may lead to forfeiture of your monetary instrument(s).

Monetary instruments include:

  1. U.S. or foreign coins and currency;
  2. Traveler checks in any form;
  3. Negotiable instruments (including checks, promissory notes, and money orders) that are either in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or other­wise in a form that the funds can be transferred to another person;
  4. Incomplete instruments (including checks, promissory notes, and money orders) signed, but with the payee's name omitted; and
  5. Securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise in a form that the funds can be transferred to another person.

However, the term "monetary instruments" does not include:

  1. Checks or money orders made payable to the order of a named person, which have not been endorsed, or which bear restrictive endorsements;
  2. Warehouse receipts; or
  3. Bills of lading.

For more information regarding currency reporting requirements please visit our website or call the CBP info center at 1-(800)-227-5511. (CBP)

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.
Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021