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Baltimore Washington International Airport Cash Seizure Lawyer
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Your cash was seized at BWI Airport. Customs officers questioned you, took your money, and gave you paperwork with deadlines. You left Baltimore Washington International without the funds you were carrying – life savings, business capital, money to support family abroad. Now you’re holding a “Notice of Seizure and Information to Claimants” and panicking. Here’s what actually happened, the 30-day deadline you’re facing, and what people in your exact situation at BWI typically recover.
Thanks for visiting Spodek Law Group. We’re a second-generation law firm managed by Todd Spodek with over 50 years of combined experience. We’ve recovered millions in seized cash for clients nationwide – including BWI seizures. We’ve represented clients in high-profile cases like Anna Delvey’s Netflix series “Inventing Anna.” When government takes your property, constitutional principles aren’t abstract – they’re your only protection. This article explains what happened to YOUR money, the deadline ticking now, and your realistic recovery options.
What Happened – CBP Seized It (Not TSA)
You probably think “TSA stole my cash.” That’s not what happened. TSA screens for security threats. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) enforces customs laws at international checkpoints. At BWI, CBP seized your currency – not TSA.
CBP seized for one of two reasons. Under 31 U.S.C. § 5316, travelers entering or leaving the US with more than $10,000 must declare it on FinCEN Form 105. You didn’t declare it – maybe you didn’t know. Doesn’t matter. Failure to declare triggers automatic seizure.
Or you DID declare but CBP suspects illegal source. Officers questioned you. Your answers raised “red flags.” CBP press releases show BWI targets Caribbean routes. June 2021: seized $42,000 from three travelers heading to Jamaica. Another incident: $82,533 from four men flying to Montego Bay. BWI enforcement focuses on Caribbean travelers carrying cash.
CBP discovered your currency, pulled you aside, questioned you. You answered – every word became evidence. They took the cash, gave you notice. You left BWI without your money.
The 30-Day Deadline
You have 30 days from when you received that notice to respond. Miss it and your money is forfeited. No extensions. Government keeps 100%.
According to the Institute for Justice, 90% of airport seizure victims never respond. They assume CBP will be reasonable. Wrong. Without formal response within 30 days, government wins by default. “Respond” means file Petition or Claim – formal legal documents, not letters. If you’re reading this 25 days after the notice, you have 5 days left.
Petition vs. Claim
Your notice mentions “petition.” There are TWO options with very different outcomes.
Petition for Remission/Mitigation – You submit to CBP’s officer explaining why money should be returned. Officer makes discretionary decision. Problem: CBP has no deadline. Petition can sit for months or years. Recovery rates: 10-30% if anything. Claim for Judicial Forfeiture – Triggers federal court. Government has 90 days to file lawsuit or return money. Creates negotiation leverage. Lawyers recommend Claim, not Petition. Claim forces action within 90 days, creates judicial oversight. Petition leaves you waiting on CBP’s discretion. File Claim – force them into court.
At BWI, given aggressive enforcement, Petition is less effective. CBP officers are policy-driven – seizing based on quotas. Administrative review won’t help.
What People Get Back
Do nothing – Forfeit 100%. File Petition without lawyer – 10-30% or denial. 6-18 months waiting. File Claim with lawyer – 50-80% through settlement. 3-9 months. Government evaluates evidence – can they prove illegal source? If weak, they negotiate. Fight to trial – 100% if you win, 0% if you lose. 12-24 months. $10K-$30K+ in fees.
For BWI Caribbean seizures – if your cash was for family support or business and you have documentation, settlement is likely. Government knows Caribbean travelers carry cash for remittances. If you show legitimate source, they’ll negotiate.
Government created a trap. They require an obscure form most travelers never heard of. Then they use failure to file as justification for taking property. That’s revenue generation. The Institute for Justice documented this: 90% forfeit by default because the process is designed to be inaccessible.
BWI seizures aren’t TSA issues. You’re dealing with federal civil forfeiture. At Spodek Law Group, we’ve recovered millions nationwide. We file Claims that force judicial review, negotiate settlements, and fight to trial. We’re available 24/7 because deadlines don’t pause. If your cash was seized at BWI and you’re approaching 30 days, call now. Once that deadline passes, the money is gone.