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is it generally illegal to bring foreign currency into the country?


Alpo

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I've heard that you are only allowed to take so much of our currency out of the country. Don't know. Closest I've ever been to out of the country is walking across the bridge into Juarez for about 3 hours 60 years ago.

 

I'm watching this Monty Python skit about smuggling, and one of the things the custom agent asks is if the traveler has any foreign currency in his suitcase.

 

Based on that skit it would be illegal to bring foreign currency into the country. Or at least more than some small amount. But I've never heard about it being illegal to bring it in - just illegal to bring too much of ours out.

 

So - can you bring foreign currency into the country legally? Hundreds of thousands of pounds? Millions of yen? Billions of lira?

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I hope I’m not boring folks with these Recollections. I may have exceeded the limit more than once but seriously there are many many ways to move money without smuggling. Drug dealers have a problem because they must move a lot.

 

Russia has a rule that says you must report if you are leaving the country with more than $3000 worth I always ignored that. When tsa opens your bag they leave you a note inside. When Russia opens your bag they put a sticker on it, you really can’t get the sticker off. Eventually I numbered the stickers. No customs agents ever bothered me with that bag. The Polish lot airlines broke the bag and I had to get a new bag. Damn, now customs agents pulled me aside “how much money do you have, let me see it” I knew that woman, I had paid her a bribe once, I swore never again and I never did.

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9 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Russia opens your bag they put a sticker on it, you really can’t get the sticker off.

So the Russians do make something that works really well. :rolleyes:

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I often travel with British Pounds, Euros, Ugandan Shillings, Kenyan Shillings, Rwandan Shillings, Canadian Dollars and USA Dollars when in Africa...

Often all at the same time ... And I currently have all of the above at home right now...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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4 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Europe wants to do away with the500€ note because it’s too easy y to smuggle a lot of currency that way. Drug smugglers pay about a 50€premium for 500s.

The U.S. did away with the $500 bill for this reason years ago.  Now some in D.C. are talking about getting rid of the $100.  Of course the ultimate goal is to get rid of cash altogether and go digital.

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