Feds At O’Hare Seize $125K Headed To Pakistan

March 2, 2011 2:23 PM

Federal officers seize $125,849 in cash at O'Hare International Airport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at O’Hare International Airport seized $125,849 in undeclared U.S. currency from a family traveling to Pakistan on March 1. (Credit: U.S. Customs & Border Protection)

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CHICAGO (CBS) – U.S. Customs agents have seized more than $125,000 in cash from a family that was traveling from O’Hare International Airport to Pakistan.

Along with other passengers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting enforcement operations on Tuesday at O’Hare selected a family traveling to Pakistan aboard Etihad Airlines for a currency verification examination, officials said.

The officers explained federal currency reporting requirements and the husband of the family declared they were leaving the country with only $17,000 in cash, customs officials said in a news release. But a full baggage examination revealed more than $35,000 in his carry-on bag.

Feds At OHare Seize $125K Headed To Pakistan

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at O'Hare International Airport seized $125,849 in undeclared U.S. currency from a family traveling to Pakistan on March 1.

The cash was found hidden in several locations, including $5,200 in the pages of a magazine, $19,300 concealed behind pictures in a photo album and $4,500 hidden inside a pair of pants.

A full search resulted in the seizure of $125,849 from the family. Cash was found in all of the family’s carry-on bags, plus $7,800 in their checked baggage.

Federal officers found $5,200 in cash hidden in the pages of a magazine inside the carry-on bag of a man traveling from Chicago to Pakistan with his family on March 1, 2011. (Credit: U.S. Customs & Border Protection)

“Everywhere the officers looked they kept discovering more concealed currency,” said Janice Adams, CBP Acting Director of Field Operations in Chicago. “Money was hidden in every conceivable location. This is an outstanding seizure by our CBP officers working outbound operations at Chicago O’Hare.”

Although it is not a crime to carry more than $10,000 in cash, it is a federal offense not to declare cash or other money totaling $10,000 or more to a customs agent upon entering or exiting the United States.

Failure to declare such amounts of money could result in seizure of the currency and possibly arrest.

An individual is allowed to petition for the return of currency seized by customs agents, but the person must prove that the source and intended use of the currency was legitimate.

F Tom Kman

Tom. It’s people like you that cause racism to still exist.
Goodfellas Wiseguy

I remember the old days when passangers could carry as much money as they wanted. This gready governemnt wants to suck every penny they can out of our wallets. When will it stop. With Obama in office it never will. We all should be able to carry as much money as we want and not have to be pressured to hide it form the IRS.
Legato1

Is America, really a free country? This is an outrage. Anyone should be able to leave with any amount of money. To outside or inside this country.
Question

Have to wonder if this cash would be used to fund some of these raghead groups looking to kill our troops??? WHY is anyone carrying that type of cash in or out of the country?? These people OBVIOUSLY new it was illegal, otherwise why would they be hiding it?? Before anyone cries racism………………ahh why bother!
tamara

No need to blame this on Obama people!!!! The declaring of cash in excess of $10,000 came about with the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986…signed into law by President Ronald Regan. So I seriously doubt many of the people posting here remember the “good old days” when they could carry as much undeclared cash over the borders as they wanted.
al gore

all you morons who cried “racism” and other political reasonings…
…what is wrong with you all….this was a payload going for terrorism…
you idiots….remember…..ground zero-for-al-quaida….!!!
http://satori22.wordpress.com satori22

Does it matter that there is a Money Laundering Control Act that everyone has to abide by regardless of race or ethnicity? Does it matter that the is an urgent need to ensure that no traveler is support activities that can put people across toe world at risk? Does it matter that these travelers obviously knew they were violating the law? Obviously not. Otherwise you wouldn’t attribute the action taken by customs to greed and you wouldn’t be blaming our President unless you are not too bright.
Bush

Al Gore, you stupid Moron. This family probaly have saved up all his savings and most likely headed to Pakistan to start a new life where these Racist CBP officers took his Hard earned cash. The government should never interfere with amount of $$ coming/out.
Ground Zero was staged for moron like you Al Gore!!!!