U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized $44,690 in undeclared currency from a 54-year-old American-Peruvian traveler at Philadelphia International Airport on April 30. The traveler was boarding a flight to Cancun, Mexico, when officers carried out outbound enforcement and a CBP currency detector dog alerted them to the cash.
CBP said the traveler declared $10,000 verbally and in writing, then officers found the rest hidden in his pockets, carry-on bag and separate envelopes. The agency seized all of the currency and returned $240 for humanitarian purposes.
Elliott Ortiz on disclosure rules
Elliott Ortiz, the acting area port director, said travelers must truthfully disclose any amount over $10,000 to avoid criminal charges. He said, “no amount of concealment can hide bulk currency” and warned travelers to “truthfully report” all the currency they have.
Ortiz also said, “This traveler concealed currency in multiple locations for the purpose of evading federal currency reporting laws, but no amount of concealment can hide bulk currency from Customs and Border Protection officers and especially from CBP canine Nitro.”
Nitro at Philadelphia airport
CBP identified Nitro as a 3-year-old male chocolate Labrador retriever. The dog alerted officers to the bulk currency before the search uncovered the cash hidden on the traveler and in his belongings.
Federal law requires disclosure of amounts exceeding $10,000 to CBP, whether travelers are entering or exiting the United States. Ortiz said, “We are quickly approaching the busy summer travel season, and CBP urges travelers to truthfully report all currency they possess to a CBP officer during inspection or face severe consequences as this traveler learned.”
CBP seizure totals
The Philadelphia seizure came as CBP said currency and other monetary instrument seizures reached $37.9 million as of March 2026, after totaling $66 million in fiscal year 2025. For travelers, the immediate risk is clear: cash over the reporting threshold must be declared, and CBP said concealment will not prevent seizure or enforcement action.
