U.S.Customs and Border
Protection
A 52-year-old
woman was arrested at Washington Dulles International
Airport on Friday for trying to sneak into the country with
about $48,000 in cash.
Irene Maloba
Kayembe was allegedly concealing the money within envelopes,
books, a make-up bag, a small purse, and a cell phone holder
insider her luggage. According to court documents, aside
from the $48,000 Kayembe was carrying in U.S. currency, she
also had the equivalent of $2,694 in foreign currency.
Kayembe was arrested by Immigrations and Customs
Enforcementfs Homeland Security Investigation agents at
Dulles airport.
There is not
a limit to how much money a person may bring in or out of
the country but federal law requires that a traveler report
any amount over $10,000 in US currency or the equivalent in
foreign currency. According to court documents,
Kayembe told Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials
that she was carrying $5,000 with hercthen she verbally
changed the amount to $8,000. Kayembe changed her declared
amount again when she wrote $9,000 on her CBP Declaration
form.
gCustoms
and Border Protection officers allow international travelers
multiple opportunities to honestly comply with federal
currency reporting requirements before enacting severe
consequences. Those consequences may include losing their
currency and potential criminal charges as demonstrated in
this arrest,h said Christopher Hess, CBP Port Director for
the Port of Washington, D.C. gThe easiest way for
travelers to hold on to their currency is to truthfully
report it.h
Kayambe will
be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneyfs Office for the
Eastern District of Virginia for violating federal currency
reporting regulations. CBP officers seized the $48,000 in
U.S. dollars and released $2,694 in foreign currency to
family members traveling with Kayembe. The foreign currency
was in Congo francs, South African rands, British pounds,
and in Euros. CBP issued a detainer for Kayembe. She will be
returned to CBP following adjudication of her charges for a
final admissibility review.