DeathSlam

£10k
10k euros is for onward travel to EU
Not that it makes a lot of difference at the moment

MSPeconomist

However, it would only be illegal if actually taken over a border and not reported to customs or other specified authority. Wouldn't there need to be probable cause to search for cash in an airport lounge?

BTW, is it US$10,000 or Euro10,000?

DeathSlam

Only in the US
https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Artic...language=en_US

Jagboi

I couldn't remember if it was £ or €. I remember seeing signs before that said € and it struck me as odd that the limit was euro not pounds.

DeathSlam

Only in the US landside
Airside different rules apply to US Customs and Border Protection in US and Border Force in UK.
You will get undeclared cash seized first and then have to claim it back unless you have a very good story about how it need not have been declared.

Jagboi

I believe the police have the power to seize large amounts of cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act ( or something similar). Having large amounts of cash is generally considered suspicious without a good reason to have it, and the police can investigate without it needing to be taken over a border. It's a reasonable supposition though that most people at LHR are not taking a domestic flight, and as there is no separation between domestic and international passengers they could suspect that any passenger is intending to export cash.

However, I'm not a lawyer, so don't take this as gospel.

UKtravelbear

I saw one of those border documentaries and they stoped a guy at LGW because the dog smelt alot of cash.

The guy was very open about how he got the cash (from his bank) and what it was for at the destination (somethign to do with a wedding IIRC) and was happy for the details to be checked with the bank. Once a couple of calls had been made he was sent on his merry way.

Another one the person wasn't able to adequatly eplain and after some questions (and evasive answers) the cash was retained by the officers and paper work given with details as to how to retrieve it. At the end of the programmewas an update that the chap hadn't been back for the cash so you could add 2 and 2 as to why

The narration explained the various legislation used to be able to do this.

Gshumway

Or also undeclared business proceeds. If you watch the UK border control TV series, they often have a money sniffing dog at departure with planes to middle east or asia, looking for small shop owners who do mostly cash transaction and not declare all income.

Lizie

Reminded me of this

T8191

The reasonable question is surely WHY carry large quantities of cash. I can, to an extent, see the inconvenience of multi-national bank accounts. But in this modern world, to which I am slowly becoming accustomed, International bank transfers are not that difficult. If there’s a proper explanation, that’s fine, but it does tend to look a bit/lot unusual!

We travel with about £200-399 of foreign currency. The rest is done on plastic.

CloudGazer

Bank charges and poor exchange rates could be a valid reason.

Jagboi

Cash can't be traced. If the government doesn't know about it, they can't tax you on it.

Or to give a different example: In Canada there used to be a registry of long guns (rifles, shotguns etc). The previous government repealed that, and there are always fears that a future government will bring it back. Currently now I can go into a gun store, show my licence to prove that I am qualified to purchase and possess firearms, pay cash and leave and the government doesn't know that I own a shiny new firearm. If I paid with plastic then it's traceable. The fear of many is that a future government will use the ownership registry for confiscation, as has happened in the past.

bambinomartino

I recall one episode, where they questioned an Asian gentleman over a few thousand GBP (a lot less than 10K) in cash. The border agent got on the phone with the relevant authorities to discover that this person or his business declared only 16K in income. They let him go with his cash but told him he'll be having a conversation with the tax people upon his return.

I can't say I feel too bad for that guy, but the whole thing is a bit too Big Brotherish for my liking.

golfmad

I've been stopped by the police with a wonderful Springer Spaniel who sniffed out some old foreign currency notes I had in my laptop bag. I think it was in Shannon on the way back from LCY to JFK one time. Had a nice chat and I pointed out that our Springer Spaniel never finds cash, only causes the use of it.

KeaneJohn

I think if you carry more than £1000 you have to be able to prove the source of it or it’s seized and goes before a court and becomes property of the treasury of you can’t prove its source. It’s for the very reason to prevent money laundering, tax evasion etc.

interestingly the dogs are trained in only one field, say drugs, explosives, money, food as they have no different way to signal a find and the handlers are going to react differently if say there’s explosives detected in the departure lounge as opposed to food in the customs hall.

Also, to prevent the dogs from getting clever and giving false indications so they get to play with the ball they are only rewarded with positive finds..