US seizing and stealing from non adversarial nations

[syed putra]

US seizes cash from Cosco Shipping bulker in Baltimore after captain’s oversight​

Master of Chinese supramax had not declared $70,000 at port

The cash recovered from the Cosco bulker.
Photo: CBP

• Gary Dixon

• TradeWinds correspondent
• London

Bulkers


Published 4 February 2026, 21:16



US authorities have seized $70,737 in cash from a Chinese bulker after the captain failed to declare it.

Customs & Border Protection (CBP) said the money was removed from the 56,700-dwt Sheng Ning Hai (built 2014) at the port of Baltimore, Maryland.

The supramax is controlled by state-owned Cosco Shipping Lines.

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The find was made during a routine enforcement boarding of the Chinese-flagged ship last week.

One element of these inspections involves the master reporting to CBP officers how much currency the vessel carried.



The captain in this case failed to declare any.

But he had filed a submission for $34,480 during an earlier call in Searsport, Maine.

After departing the bulker, CBP officers learned that the vessel agent gave the master an additional $40,000 while in Maine.

The team went back the next day and conducted a more thorough examination of all spaces, CBP said.

The cash was found in the purser’s safe. Officers seized the currency and the ship was allowed to continue its journey.

Commercial vessel captains are required to understand and comply with the laws of the nation where they make port calls, CBP emphasised.

The officer had made previous port calls in the US and had filed the relevant forms.

The acting director of the CBP Baltimore field office, Matthew Suarez, issued a strong statement on the issue
He said: “It is rare to see a commercial ship captain deliberately violate our nation’s laws.

“But it is alarming criminal behaviour that we expect by an adversarial nation that repeatedly uses commercial port calls at US seaports to collect military intelligence and steal proprietary business information.”

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CBP will continue to scrutinise the “bad actors” operating merchant vessels that are flagged or operated by adversarial nations.

“We remain committed to protecting our nation’s security and economic vitality,” Suarez said.

There are no limits on how much currency can be carried on board into and out of the US.

But anything over $10,000 must be declared.

 

[laksaboy]

China is a hostile and belligerent country, and a national security threat to the world.

 

[Leongsam]

US seizes cash from Cosco Shipping bulker in Baltimore after captain’s oversight​

Master of Chinese supramax had not declared $70,000 at port

The cash recovered from the Cosco bulker.
Photo: CBP

• Gary Dixon
• TradeWinds correspondent
• London

Bulkers


Published 4 February 2026, 21:16



US authorities have seized $70,737 in cash from a Chinese bulker after the captain failed to declare it.

Customs & Border Protection (CBP) said the money was removed from the 56,700-dwt Sheng Ning Hai (built 2014) at the port of Baltimore, Maryland.

The supramax is controlled by state-owned Cosco Shipping Lines.

• 
  
  Read more
  

  Adnoc chartering arm fixes Turkish newbuilding as part of trio of tanker deals​

The find was made during a routine enforcement boarding of the Chinese-flagged ship last week.

One element of these inspections involves the master reporting to CBP officers how much currency the vessel carried.



The captain in this case failed to declare any.

But he had filed a submission for $34,480 during an earlier call in Searsport, Maine.

After departing the bulker, CBP officers learned that the vessel agent gave the master an additional $40,000 while in Maine.

The team went back the next day and conducted a more thorough examination of all spaces, CBP said.

The cash was found in the purser’s safe. Officers seized the currency and the ship was allowed to continue its journey.

Commercial vessel captains are required to understand and comply with the laws of the nation where they make port calls, CBP emphasised.

The officer had made previous port calls in the US and had filed the relevant forms.

The acting director of the CBP Baltimore field office, Matthew Suarez, issued a strong statement on the issue
He said: “It is rare to see a commercial ship captain deliberately violate our nation’s laws.

“But it is alarming criminal behaviour that we expect by an adversarial nation that repeatedly uses commercial port calls at US seaports to collect military intelligence and steal proprietary business information.”

• 
  
  Read more
  

  Trafigura triumphs in multimillion-dollar fake cargo fraud trial​

CBP will continue to scrutinise the “bad actors” operating merchant vessels that are flagged or operated by adversarial nations.

“We remain committed to protecting our nation’s security and economic vitality,” Suarez said.

There are no limits on how much currency can be carried on board into and out of the US.

But anything over $10,000 must be declared.

Nothing wrong with that the same thing happens at airports. Cash above the stipulated limit needs to be declared.

 

[syed putra]

Nothing wrong with that the same thing happens at airports. Cash above the stipulated limit needs to be declared.

But they could have been more lenient as captain complied based on past records

 

[eatshitndie]

they stash undeclared cash of $69k for crew to enjoy their r&r with hookers. otherwise crew will do 69 with each other.