A passenger preparing to board a flight to Jamaica has been arrested after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)officers seized more than US$53,800 in undeclared cash during an outbound inspection at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.
According to CBP, the incident occurred on July 1 as officers conducted routine inspections of passengers departing on a flight bound for Kingston, Jamaica. Authorities said the traveler declared that they were not carrying currency, but a subsequent search uncovered US$53,800 in U.S. cash. The individual was taken into custody after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) responded to the scene, and federal prosecutors later approved money laundering charges under Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1956. Officials have not released the passenger’s identity.
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CBP stressed that there is no limit on the amount of money travelers may legally transport into or out of the United States. However, anyone carrying more than US$10,000 in currency or monetary instruments must report the funds by filing a FinCEN Form 105, the Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments. Failure to declare the funds, or making a false declaration, can result in the seizure of the money and may lead to civil or criminal penalties.
Commenting on the seizure, Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Miami and Tampa Field Office, said bulk cash smuggling remains a common method used by criminal organizations to move illicit proceeds across international borders.
“Criminal organizations often rely on bulk cash smuggling to move illicit proceeds across international borders,” Alonso said. “CBP officers remain vigilant in identifying these violations and work closely with our law enforcement partners to disrupt transnational criminal activity while protecting the integrity of our nation’s borders.”
The seizure forms part of CBP’s broader outbound enforcement strategy, which targets bulk cash smuggling, narcotics trafficking, weapons smuggling and other forms of transnational criminal activity while facilitating legitimate international travel and trade. Authorities have not indicated whether the seized funds are believed to be connected to a broader criminal investigation.
