U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes cash and counterfeit goods

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported significant enforcement actions involving undeclared currency and counterfeit merchandise at U.S. airports.

At Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, officers arrested a traveler and seized more than $53,800 in undeclared U.S. currency. The individual, traveling to Jamaica, had initially claimed not to be carrying cash. The arrest involves charges of money laundering and violation of federal laws regarding the failure to report the international transportation of currency. CBP reminds travelers that any amount exceeding $10,000 must be declared via FinCEN Form 105.

Separately, CBP officers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport seized nearly $4 million in counterfeit luxury goods. The haul included fake Louis Vuitton bags, Nike apparel, and Cartier sunglasses, with a retail value of approximately $3.7 million. Authorities noted that many of these shipments originated from China. CBP officials highlighted that counterfeit trade is often used in trade-based money laundering schemes by organized crime groups to mask illicit funds as legitimate business income.