.png)
Click the play button above to watch our video.
Whether it's money, personal effects, or a commercial shipment of cargo, it's a terrible day when US Customs takes something of yours at the border. Normally one thinks of CBP seizing property upon importation, but it's important to remember that even if you are leaving the country - especially when transiting by airplane - that the agency can and will take US currency when over $10,000 and no advance declaration has been made.
While you may be unsure as to whether or not you will see your merchandise (or money) again, CBP's intention to never return it to you becomes clear once you receive the seizure notice.
A seizure notice advises the person or company whose merchandise or money has been confiscated that US Customs intends to keep it and sets forth its reasons for having decided this way.
CBP sends this notification so that an interested party can try and recover the merchandise through a government administrative process. Depending on the reason(s) for the seizure, the chances of the merchandise being released can vary.
When a seizure notice has been received, it is important that a response to the letter is provided so that there is documented evidence that an attempt to "clear" the name of the interested party of the allegations that led to the seizure in the first place has been made. Without doing so, the history of any alleged violations – and no attempt to dispute the them - remains attached to the electronic record of that person or company, effectively leaving them with a ‘red flag’ hanging over their identity.
US Customs seizures can occur for reasons such as:
- No apparent authorization to import goods with a particular trademark
- An import of a knock-off or counterfeit goods, i.e., no actual authorization to import
- An allegation of smuggling money to another country (heading outbound)
Have questions about a seizure notice? Give our office a call today at (917) 546-6997, we would be happy to speak with you.
Have you found yourself in trouble with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), or the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)? We are determined to help you. Click the link below to check out our booklets and learn how we can help guide you through this.
Ready to Learn More About CBP, OFAC,
BIS, FWS, and FDA?
We have dozens (literally!) of videos in our educational library on our YouTube channel related to importing, exporting, US Customs, BIS, OFAC, FWS, FDA, NFTs, and so much more. Subscribe to our channel now to stay up to date on the latest on these topics!
Our law firm helps growing companies who import and export comply with government regulations. We love what we do and we take our oath of confidentiality over your matters very seriously. How much? Watch this video to learn about it. CLICK HERE
Wondering "why should you have an attorney on your side?" Click here to watch one of our attorneys, Susan Steinman, break down the critical benefits as to why you want to have one on your side - whether you hire us to help you or another law firm.
Have questions? We are determined to help you.
We listen carefully to clients to ensure our understanding of the legal issues at hand, their factual context, and any limitations that might impact a chosen strategy. Feel free to connect with us using the contact form at the bottom of the Home page or send us an email at contact@clarkespositolaw.com.