How to bring your bankroll for a trip to Vegas

[*TT*]

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Don't bring more than 10k on a plane, unless you want to be detained in the event its discovered.

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Far as I know, $10K is only important when traveling abroad. You can't come/go outside the US with >$10K without paperwork. But domestically, there ain't no laws about this that I can find. Doesn't mean some power-tripping law enforcement officials won't get a bloodhound to bark at your money and try to take your wad if you bring a bunch, but I know of nothing magical about $10K.

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This has been discussed here in the past, welcome to the post 911 world. 10k is illegal overseas, 10k domestically gets you stopped and investigated, but its not illegal.

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[bav]

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This has been discussed here in the past, welcome to the post 911 world. 10k is illegal overseas, 10k domestically gets you stopped and investigated, but its not illegal.

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Yes, it's been discussed, and nobody has yet come up with any evidence $10,000 is magic.

It's not just post-911, it's more post-war-on-drugs. I read a story a decade ago about a car dealer driving between Wichita and Tulsa who got stopped for speeding, or some such, and a drug dog alerted on his $50K cash wad. Cops took it, said it was drug money as proven by the dogs finding the scent on it (something like 95% of US $100's have measurable traces of drugs) and told the guy if he wanted it back he could take 'em to court. He did and eventually after a long fight did get it. He was lucky--he was going to a used car auction and obviously had to have cash, and could prove he got the cash out of his business.

But I've still never seen anything official that says $10,000 is magical. It's all rumor. Anybody have any actual documentation to show that $9500 is ok while $10,500 get you hassled?

[NickMPK]

If you are just carrying 15K in your pocket, how is anyone in airport security even going to know? It's not like cash is going to set off a metal detector.

[bav]

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If you are just carrying 15K in your pocket, how is anyone in airport security even going to know? It's not like cash is going to set off a metal detector.

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Odds are very very good they will never know you have it. But if a drug dog happens to be sniffing up and down the crowd, it could notice cocaine on your Benjamins. Or if you get selected for extra checking, a "I will now use the back of my hand to check the area" pat down may generate a request that you reveal what the bulge is. But even if it happens, odds are good the screener will just say "thank you, you can put it back in your pocket".

I've never been asked to turn out my pockets despite several times being singled out for extra security (hint: don't book one-way tickets and don't change your flights one day prior). I only once came across a working drug dog in an airport and he was being trained...the cops asked someone in line if they could pretty please hide a scent thingy in someone's luggage so the doggie could find it. Doggie did find it... good boy.

[HumanACtor]

[AlienBoy]

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It's not just post-911, it's more post-war-on-drugs.

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It is the long standing war on drugs that brought about all these money laundering provisions.

There is NO restriction on carrying ANY amount of cash or negotiable instruments within the United States. However, there *was* a law that allowed LE to arrest "property" that they had a "reasonable suspicion" was connected with an illegal operation.

Clinton signed the "Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000" which placed more safeguards to prevent the frequent abuse by law enforcement officers. (Police were going around taking large sums of cash from people on mere suspicion, and that cash made its way into police department related developments, like new gyms, vacation bonus funds, etc.) ANd these seizures were for amounts LESS than $10,000.

Bush in 2001 signed the Forfeiture of Terrorist Assets Under the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 - and that can be read here:

http://www.fear.org/

The Government can seize property based on probable cause. Generally the seizure must be pursuant to a warrant, but warrantless seizures are authorized in exigent circumstances.

Having said that, a trip to and from Vegas for the purpose of gambling is a perfectly LEGAL reason to be carrying a large sum of cash.


The "$10,000 myth". The $10,000 figure comes up alot, and I think there is some misunderstanding regarding it.

1) A financial institution is required to report *any* transaction of $10,000 or more, and at their discretion, report any transaction of $3,000 or more. A casino counts as a financial institution.

2) You can make transactions of any amount, but amounts over $10,000 are reported as a transaction. NOT AS INCOME, SIMPLY AS A TRANSACTION.

3) You cannot import or export from the United States more than $10,000 in Cash, Negotiable instruments, gold, etc. without DECLARING it. But so long as you declare it, you can import and export as much as you want.


I think it is these things that gave rise to the "can't carry 10K or more" myth.

AB

[The DaveR]

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for less than 10k, use rubber band + pocket

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Don't bring more than 10k on a plane, unless you want to be detained in the event its discovered.

I can't recommend the tinfoil & cucumber method that used to be very popular:



TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

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I highly doubt than amounts bigger than 10K will get much, if any, trouble at the airport if you also have a ticket to LV.

[Eder]

I brought 10k on my last Vegas trip...small bulge...lied to customs officer at Coutts....no biggi...brought 13k home...small bulge...lied to customs officer at Sweetgrass...no biggi

But I really want to know how the hell americans can exist without loonies and toonies...$1 bills so annoying

[iversonian]

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ya. 5K in hundos. rubber band. pocket. you're all set. and yes you can walk around in vegas with 5k in your pocket no problem. you could strap it to your head with a sweat band and still wouldn't get robbed.

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don't try this at home kids

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Wouldn't home be the safest place to do this??

[iversonian]

This is not a problem I've ever had, but when you win a ton of money (like over 20k) and try to cash out at the regular cashier window, do they just count out those 200 Franklins for you to pack into your pockets? How do those guys playing big games cash out big wins if they have no previous financial arrangements with the casino?