Officers Seize $89K in Unreported Currency

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Stanton Street bridge intercepted $89,031 in unreported currency.

“CBP officers routinely conduct outbound inspections on traffic headed into Mexico,” said CBP El Paso Port Director Ray Provencio. “The outbound inspections are designed to identify and stop a variety of items including weapons, ammunition, and unreported currency.”

Seized Currency

On August 14, 2022, CBP officers conducting outbound inspections at the Stanton Street bridge selected a vehicle driven by a 22-year-old Mexican citizen and passenger, 46-year-old Mexican citizen, for a routine inspection. Both occupants gave a negative declaration for currency. During a secondary search and with the aid of a CBP currency-firearms detector canine, CBP officers located multiple packages hidden within the vehicle. The packages contained a total of $89,031.

CBP officers seized the currency along with the vehicle and both individuals were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents for further investigation.

It is legal to transport any amount of currency or other monetary instruments into or out of the United States. However, if you transport, attempt to transport, or cause to be transported (including by mail or other means) 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, you must file a report with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Failure to comply can result in civil and criminal penalties and may lead to forfeiture of your monetary instrument(s).