SAN YSIDRO, Calif., — Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry intercepted the transportation of $44,148 in unreported currency hidden within a vehicle during an outbound examination last Wednesday. 

On January 8, at approximately 12:30 p.m., CBP officers conducting outbound operations at the San Ysidro Port of Entry encountered a 27-year-old woman driving a 2024 sedan traveling southbound into Mexico from the United States. CBP officers referred the driver and the vehicle for a secondary examination.

In secondary, a CBP K-9 unit screened the vehicle and alerted officers to examine a white plastic bag containing food items. Upon further inspection of the white plastic bag, officers discovered a brown package that contained a total of $44,148 in unreported currency.

“Through diligent enforcement efforts during an outbound operation, our officers successfully intercepted cash proceeds commonly associated with illicit activities that fuel transnational criminal organizations,” said Mariza Marin, Area Port Director of San Ysidro. “By disrupting covert operations and preventing criminal organizations access to the financial resources that support their networks, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of our nation.”

CBP officers seized the currency. Homeland Security Investigations special agents initiated a criminal investigation.

It is not a crime to carry more than $10,000, but it is a federal offense not to declare currency or monetary instruments totaling $10,000 or more to a CBP officer upon entry or exit from the U.S. or to conceal it with intent to evade reporting requirements. Failure to declare may result in temporary or permanent seizure of the currency and/or arrest. An individual may petition for the return of currency seized by CBP officers, but the petitioner must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.