CBP at JFK Seizes More Than $320,000 of Counterfeit Cash

CBP assists U.S. Secret Service in their Investigation

NEW YORK, N.Y. -U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and U. S. Secret Service agents are protecting your currency's integrity ahead of the upcoming holiday shopping season.

On November 18, CBP officers seized a total of $304,500 in counterfeit United States currency, from a 26-year-old male arriving from Guayaquil, Ecuador. The USSS was notified and responded to assist in the investigation. The currency closely resembled legal U.S. currency and will undergo extensive forensic examination. With the increased use of online marketplaces creating more in-person transactions, unscrupulous people could potentially victimize inexperienced sellers or small businesses by using the counterfeit currency during fraudulent purchases or in other financial fraud crimes.

"CBP has a diverse mission, and this counterfeit currency seizure illustrates the vigilance of our CBP officers," said Francis J. Russo, Director of CBP's New York Field Operations. "Criminal groups are targeting the people, businesses, and the security of the United States' financial well-being by trying to make a quick buck, while negatively impacting our economic vitality. Our officers working with the agents from U. S. Secret Service are there to stop that threat to our nation."

"The U.S. Secret Service stands on the frontline of protecting our nation's economy by ensuring the integrity of its currency," said Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney, New York Field Office. "This counterfeit seizure exemplifies the importance of this work and affirms the need for strong partnerships with agencies like Customs and Border Protection. Together, we will continue to disrupt the kind of criminality that dupes unwitting victims and serves to undermine the nation's financial well-being."

According to the U.S. Secret Service, counterfeiting currency is a lucrative business and is often used to finance illegal activities, including financial fraud, narcotics smuggling, terrorism, and attacks against our nation's financial systems.

Both consumers and retailers can protect themselves from inadvertently receiving counterfeit currency through scrutinizing banknotes during transactions.

For more information on how to identify counterfeit currency, please visit: https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2020-12/KnowYourMoney.pdf

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.