Customs Agents Seize $4.65M in 'Hell Money' at Airport

ROMULUS, MI – Federal customs agents seized about $4.65 million in “Hell money” — counterfeit currency presented as burnt offerings to the deceased — from a Vietnamese couple who couldn’t keep their stories straight when questioned at the Detroit Metro Airport about the 125 bundles of counterfeit cash they were trying to bring into the country.

The burnt offerings custom is often practiced in Asian cultures, the U.S. customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations said in a Wednesday statement announcing the seizure of the counterfeit money, which resembled both U.S. and Vietnamese currency.

“Attempting to import any amount of counterfeit currency, regardless of the intended purpose, can have serious implications for arriving travelers,” Customs and Border Patrol Port Director Devin Chamberlain said in the statement. “Quality law enforcement work and solid attention to detail resulted in this seizure, and I am proud of the officers involved.”

The money was seized on Feb. 12 after border patrol officers questioned the couple, who had just arrived on a flight from Seoul, Korea, about the money. They made conflicting statements about how much counterfeit cash they had, but both reportedly said it would be used in a burnt offerings ceremony. They hadn’t tried to spend any of the money.

Agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service took custody of the fake currency. It included 93 bundle of fake American $100 bills and 32 bundles of counterfeit Vietnamese Dong, the national currency of Vietnam.

The couple was allowed to continue on their travels, but Customs and Border Patrol said in its release that international travelers may face charges for manufacturing or importing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes.

» U.S. Customs and Border Patrol photo