United States Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agency says officers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida seized more than US$53,800 in undeclared currency from an outbound traveler headed to Kingston, Jamaica.
CBP says the traveler was arrested on July 1 on federal money laundering charges. It says officers were inspecting passengers departing on a flight destined for Kingston, and although the traveler did not declare carrying currency, officers discovered and verified the US currency. Homeland Security Investigations responded and the individual was arrested.
Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Miami and Tampa Field Office, says criminal organizations often rely on bulk cash smuggling to move illicit proceeds across international borders.
CBP says there is no limit to the amount of currency or other monetary instruments travelers may transport into or out of the United States, but anyone transporting more than US$10,000 in currency or monetary instruments into or out of the country must declare the funds by filing a FinCEN Form 105, Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments.
