
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Thu February 18, 2016
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
A couple arriving in Detroit from South Korea Friday was arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle in nearly $5 million worth of counterfeit money.
According to Ali Gostanian of NBCNews.com, two passengers who arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after their flight from Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, were found to be carrying counterfeit money when they went through customs.
United States Customs and Border Protection reported that its officers found 93 bundles of counterfeit $100 bills from the U.S. and 32 bundles of counterfeit Vietnamese dong in the couple's bags.
READ MORE: As A Reminder, Don't Try to Smuggle 59 Pounds of Gold Through Customs
In total, officers discovered $4.65 million worth of counterfeit money that they called "Hell Money", which is a counterfeit currency printed on joss paper and burnt as an offering to those who have died.
Customs and Border Protection director told NBCNews.com, "Attempting to import any amount of counterfeit currency, regardless of the intended purpose, can have serious implications for arriving travelers."
After the discovery of the counterfeit bills, the money was seized by officers from Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Secret Service.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore