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.”
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“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.
