Crimes while traveling by air with chips (1 Viewer)

[DrStrange]

I often carry a poker chip set when I travel and I almost always run into special security screening. This is understandable when you consider what a suitcase filled with chips looks like to the screener. ( 6 to 10 solid cylinders about 6" long and 1.5" in diameter lined up side by side.) Yea, I'd check that too.

Yesterday I had a totally different interaction with TSA. This time the supervisor knew exactly what the scan was showing, but he pulled me out of line anyway. He didn't do a check for explosives residue or anything like what normally happens. Instead he wants to know if the chips are live. He opens up the case - sees the chips range from $0.50 to $20 and waves me on.

I got to thinking that I was being checked, not for terrorism, but for financial crimes. You can't travel with more than $10,000 without making a declaration. So is a live set with a bank in excess of $10,000 plausibly unlawful to pass through airport security? Would you worry about having a vintage set seized as a violation of laws covering financial crimes?

Even though it seems obvious that a case of chips from a long closed casino aren't in violation, the cost and effort to get a set back out of government hands is going to be high. Seems like I would need to hire a local lawyer, perhaps travel back to the city where the chips were seized and file suit to defend my assets. There really aren't many 500 chip sets that would warrant spending that much money - which I guess is part of the point of civil forfeitures.

Then I wondered if it would be "structuring" to put the $100 chips in a separate checked bag while bringing the rest of the set through security?

Good thing we live in a free country -=- DrStrange

 

[atomiktoaster]

There's a good chance that might fall under civil asset forfeiture. You'd then have to prove that the chips are not connected to financial or other crimes. They might even be seized for failure to pay sales tax or something stupid like that.

Kadrik's Bellagio set would be another matter (though it might be right under 10k).

 

[dennis63]

In the past few years, I have been at vehicle stops where people with long criminal records for drug dealing are carrying live high-denom chips from Atlantic City up and down I-95. Occasionally a stop like that will make the news.

It's a form of money laundering that is particularly useful to traffickers in a society where the largest circulated legal tender is a $100 bill. (No more $500s or $1,000s in circulation, as far as I am aware.)

Maybe TSA got word about some stolen chips through a bank association alert.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I haven't been a victim of a chip TSA crime (yet), but checked luggage with a rack of chips always gets searched. All that has been stolen so far though was the shoulder strap for my duffle bag (I always unhook it and put it inside the luggage to make baggage handling easier. I guess they wanted it more).

 

[slisk250]

My family was a regular victim of TSA theft when we moved to Holland in 2005. You would get the TSA note in the bag and then noticed that petty things like freeze dried blueberries, cosmetics etc. were missing. Things that were new in boxes were always at risk. I know that they cleaned up some of that BS from the early years but wonder who polices them. Next week I'm actually putting my milled E&C set in checked bags (1000 chips) I'll put them in racks with plastic around so they can see. I'll also attach a note. "Dear TSA, Please be gentle with these old poker chips my dad left me in his will. If you must unwrap to inspect, please rewrap as you found them. Thanks for everything you do to ensure I travel safe."

Will the Jedi mind trick work? Will they just dump them and dozens get broken and chipped? We'll see.

 

[Mental Nomad]

It's a form of money laundering that is particularly useful to traffickers in a society where the largest circulated legal tender is a $100 bill. (No more $500s or $1,000s in circulation, as far as I am aware.)

Actually, the bills over $100 are still legal tender; they just aren't issued or printed, anymore - and are never used in bank circulation. If you run one through a bank, it gets collect and replaced with current series bills - although most tellers will tell you to hand onto them, because they're more valuable than face to collectors.

The big denoms used to be used for transactions with the central bank, not really the public. That's all done on paper/electronic now. They stopped issuing the big notes in 1969, although they stopped printing them in 1945.

There are actually a little over 150,000 US $1,000 notes still "in the wild," but very few denoms above that. They are mostly held by collectors and/or foreign actors who use them for large currency transactions amongst each other. So a lot of them are still "circulating," but no often being used as currency where US dollars are legal.

Neat note: Binion's in Las Vegas used to have 100 $10,000 notes on display. They've since been sold off to collectors.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Will the Jedi mind trick work? Will they just dump them and dozens get broken and chipped? We'll see.

I'm pretty sure it will increase your odds of a good outcome.

 

[sleepypiggly]

Note to self… do not bring BCC High Rollers Club chips onto a plane…

“Higher Rollers Club eh? Sounds like an underground casino to me.” Seize. Strip search. Prepare the anal probe.

And then of course they will wind up in the UK to be sold for £50.

 

[derekdd23]

I guess I better prepare myself for my next return flight from vegas.

 

[sleepypiggly]

I guess I better prepare myself for my next return flight from vegas.

You can duct tape them to your body along w/ the cash like the MIT blackjack team.

 

[slisk250]

I'm sure having dense cylindrical objects taped to your body in an airport will get you that anal probe you were worried about.

 

[abby99]

A few years ago I had a lovely conversation with a TSA agent in Chicago about the custom chips in my carry-on. He played poker and had no idea that one could have quality custom clay chips made. Fortunately, I had plenty of time before my flight to talk about chips.

I wouldn't put valuable chips in my carry-on, any more than I would pack jewelry, a camera, or any other valuables. IMO it's just not worth the risk.

 

[AfterTheFact]

I came back from Vegas with 600 Mapes in my carry on bag. Not one question.

 

[slisk250]

I've had it both ways. All the way from AZ to Saudi without so much as a raised eyebrow, to going through each rack at every check point along the way. No worries carrying chips in carry on for me. I only check bags with cheaper chips. E&C I bought at 35 cents a chip fall into that category.

 

[BiGGyT]

eBay is a fine source for all your collectible currency. I ask the cage if they have any large bills when I am cashing out, this one time at the Beau Rivage the cashier said a guy bought in a $5000 poker tournament with 10 $500 bills. Even though everyone told him he could go to the pawn shop down the road and get $6000 for them, he wanted to buy in with them. She did not know if he won because of his lucky buy in.

Binion's current display includes a free souvenir photo, if you got time to kill, have some fun with it.

I am about to go to Vegas this weekend, hate travelling with cash because of TSA can check you while the bag is not in your line of sight. Does anyone have any cash travelling tips? I know I can ATM at Casino Royal for a low fee, believe it is $1, and my bank is a cab fare away, but limits and fees piss me off more than TSA, so open to suggestions. I am not a high roller, $500/day is my usual budget, but if going with my wife, double+ that amount makes for a nervous traveler. Always wondered how a "high roller" not using casino credit/marker travels.

BiGGyT

 

[slisk250]

I just put the cash deep in my backpack. Two zippers. No TSA agent will search or open your bag without you present. They will ask if anything is sharp and are concerned for their safety as well.. Will not let you open it for them. I've traveled all over the world with the limit of cash, mostly when taking student trips to Thailand. Never had any worries or cash checks at all. If I'm over the limit, I have a cash envelope that I'll hand to another adult when we get to customs. No worries in at least 15 countries.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

eBay is a fine source for all your collectible currency. I ask the cage if they have any large bills when I am cashing out, this one time at the Beau Rivage the cashier said a guy bought in a $5000 poker tournament with 10 $500 bills. Even though everyone told him he could go to the pawn shop down the road and get $6000 for them, he wanted to buy in with them. She did not know if he won because of his lucky buy in.

Binion's current display includes a free souvenir photo, if you got time to kill, have some fun with it.

I am about to go to Vegas this weekend, hate travelling with cash because of TSA can check you while the bag is not in your line of sight. Does anyone have any cash travelling tips? I know I can ATM at Casino Royal for a low fee, believe it is $1, and my bank is a cab fare away, but limits and fees piss me off more than TSA, so open to suggestions. I am not a high roller, $500/day is my usual budget, but if going with my wife, double+ that amount makes for a nervous traveler. Always wondered how a "high roller" not using casino credit/marker travels.

BiGGyT

If you bank with Wells Fargo, they have ATMs & a branch at McCarran Airport. I bank with them, so I just pull cash out of the ATM, when I land.

 

[slisk250]

What is the daily limit?

 

[moose]

I've carried a couple thousand live chips back from Vegas and never had a problem. I would never put them in a checked back though. I've always kept them with me in my carry on.

 

[sleepypiggly]

Always wondered how a "high roller" not using casino credit/marker travels.

BiGGyT

Reminds me of this Archer phone wallpaper I used to have...

 

[rowlin]

Not to derail, but I saw a guy in the mid 1980s try to buy a few beers with a $500 bill at a concession counter in the Coliseum during a football game.

The cashier was like, "I've never seen one of these. We can't accept this." The guy threw a shit-fit and demanded to speak with a manager and such.

I didn't stick around for the resolution.

 

[DrStrange]

I always carry my chips in carry-on luggage if possible. I was just struck by the curious line of questioning looking for financial crimes rather than terrorism.

DrStrange

 

[stratus51]

Not to derail, but I saw a guy in the mid 1980s try to buy a few beers with a $500 bill at a concession counter in the Coliseum during a football game.

The cashier was like, "I've never seen one of these. We can't accept this." The guy threw a shit-fit and demanded to speak with a manager and such.

I didn't stick around for the resolution.

Sorry but you're a little soft in the head if you think you can pay for concessions like that with such a large note, clearly he thought it was perfectly normal behaviour. Here in England we sometimes get Scottish money come across the boarder. It's legal tender but no one really wants to take it, usually through ignorance. I believe there is a Scottish £100 note which we don't have in England. IIRC it's not in general circulation. There was a time when there were quite a few fake £50 notes around and we had trouble getting some stores to accept them. Since i've turned my printing press off it's not such an issue anymore.

 

[stratus51]

I always carry my big pink rubber phallus in carry-on luggage if possible. I was just struck by the curious line of questioning looking for financial crimes rather than [Dildo] terrorism.

DrStrange

Sorry had to be done...

 

[DrStrange]

Pfffff. . . . silicone for the win!

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

What is the daily limit?

Usually $400. If the branch is still open, obvs they will let you pull more out. Also, if you call them, they will make a "one-time" exemption for more.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Money belt. Enough cash to lose every buy-in for 2 weeks. Only once did it show up on the screen, and I simply said "Money belt", and she let me pass. I've looked at the image they look at and it 's never shown, except the one time I had accidently left a room key in it. Apparently after cashing out after a big win, someone slipped me their room key, and it was slipped into the belt without my remembering it.

I really need to drink less while in Vegas.

 

[gmunny]

For cash, I just carry it in my pocket with a band around it. I don't think I'd trust to leave it my backpack/carry on. At the Vegas airport, when you go through the spinning X-ray machine, you can't have anything in your pockets, so you have to hold anything you want to carry through in your hands above your head. After you get out the TSA guys makes you fan it or riff it so they can see nothing else is in your hand. I brought back about 7g's the last time I was there.