Border Patrol: Gold bars worth more than $67K seized

Four bars of nearly pure gold were found inside a shipment declared as clothing, CBP said.
Four bars of nearly pure gold were found inside a shipment declared as clothing, CBP said.(U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Published: Mar. 16, 2023 at 10:00 AM EDT
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CINCINNATI (Gray News) – Border patrol officers seized a shipment containing more than $67,000 worth of gold after it was declared as clothing valued at $125, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Authorities noticed the package had density anomalies during the X-ray screening.

When they opened the shipment, officers found four gold bars and a box of loose gold concealed within articles of clothing.

According to CBP, the package came from an apartment in San Francisco, California and was headed to an address in Hong Kong.

Experts confirmed the gold was about 98% pure and had a value of $67,830.

“Our officers process millions of legitimate trade imports and exports every year at the Port of Cincinnati,” Cincinnati Port Director Richard Gillespie said in a news release obtained by WXIX.

“While they uphold the U.S. economy by facilitating legal trade and investments, officers also protect the country’s revenue and its citizens from individuals and entities who attempt to evade import and export requirements.”

By law, exporters are required to file electronically through CBP if the value of their goods exceeds $2500. Failing to report accurate export information could result in civil or criminal penalties and prosecution.