Often1

+1 - Money laundering is not a place where you want to try semantics. Maybe you get cleared, maybe you don't. The penalties are criminal and civil.

FlyIgglesFly

Not that I ever have that much cash on me when leaving the U.S., but where is one informed of the requirement to report anything in excess of $10,000? I've never had to put anything in writing, or even fill out a form to leave.

mikew99

As a general rule, ignorance of the law is not an excuse for violating it. You can find information about the reporting requirement, as well as how to comply with it, on the CBP Web site.

FliesWay2Much

I conceal cash on my body all the time, as I suspect most of you do as well.

FlyIgglesFly

I get that, but you can't make zero effort to make the public aware of the law and then expect that they report cash in excess of $10,000. If I've legally earned that money and paid taxes on it why would I suspect there would be anything wrong with leaving the country carrying it?

bocastephen

Exactly...which is why the asset forfeiture and money laundering laws need to be done away with. It's MY money, and it's nobody's business where I'm taking it or what I'm doing with it.

Section 107

That's a good question, Agent 86. Would you believe that what I posted was actually the synopsis provided by our subscription news clipping service of the original story?

Disappointingly, our clipping service cant even summarize the story correctly, even as brief as this one was, which included correct information (as noted above).

Here is the complete story published by WRC-TV:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/lo...288873051.html

-----------------------------------------------------
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized about $37,000 of unreported currency from two separate groups of passengers at Dulles International Airport on Thursday.

The first group, two men arriving from Beijing, was found to be carrying $22,238 in two envelopes and a wallet, according to a statement by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

The second group, a Northern Virginia couple headed for an international flight, had stacks of money -- $15,215 in all -- concealed on their bodies and in a purse, the statement said.

There is no limit to how much currency travelers may carry into or out of the U.S. However, travelers are required by federal law to report amounts exceeding $10,000 or risk facing criminal charges and having their currency seized.

Both groups had reported in writing that they were carrying less than $10,000.

After having their currency seized, the four travelers were allowed to continue their trips and were not criminally charged.

Wayne Biondi, CBP Area Port Director for the Port of Washington Dulles, said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers “presented these travelers multiple opportunities to report all of the currency they had in their possession.”

“It’s the law. Hopefully, this is a lesson to all travelers that the easiest way to hold on to their currency is to truthfully report it to a CBP officer,” he said.

yandosan

He's from Norway, he needs a bit of a primer on airport Security Theater
in the USA. Basically, they are there to scare you, not keep you safe.
The more they can scare you, the more they can convince you that
you need to rely on the almighty State for security. That's why people in charge are scaring/intimidating you (as you describe) rather than comforting you, or making you feel safe, as they should be doing.

Maxwell Smart

I find that very hard to believe.

cestmoi123

According to the story, "Both groups had reported in writing that they were carrying less than $10,000," so they were aware of the law.

mikeef

TV, many people have called TSOs completely incompetent. To be entirely fair to those TSOs, however, they almost always exceed expectations when it comes to shouting at their customers, particularly if you don't speak English or look like you can be intimidated.

Mike

GUWonder

Both as a "group", or each as an "individual"?

The fact is that people are more likely to assume it's ten thousand dollars or so per person than per group. And if these persons deprived of their legally-gained money are all English as a second language types, then it's even easier to get confused by CBP/ICE representstions.

N1120A

OP - Almost certainly wasn't TSA, but CBP.

Yup. I've been subject to a few of these, both by US and Canadian authorities. They never hauled anyone off. Did have some CBP thug with a Napoleon complex rifle through my stuff, despite knowing that I didn't have that kind of money on me (shoot, at that time, I didn't even have that kind of money in my bank account).

Section 107

http://www.loudountimes.com/news/art...nal_airport543


This lady filled out a form saying how much she had (she under-reported), they questioned her about her declaration and she chose not to amend it. Then, when a search revealed she under-reported, she was given another opportunity to amend her declaration but she still refused to amend it. That's when it got confiscated as it was willful under-reporting.

People, please, if it isn't ill-booten-gotty then properly declare, or at least take the opportunity to amend your declaration when your misunderstanding of the rules (aka "lie") is found out so you don't become unnecessarily deprived of your money.

DIFIN

Did TSA give any consideration to the fact that the people were Chinese and maybe did not understand the questions completly?