Tatoyan

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

As they were about to board a flight to Paris at Los Angeles International Airport, Krikor and Zenda Tatoyan (“the Tatoy- ans”) were stopped by United States Customs Inspector 1126 UNITED STATES v. TATOYAN Chung J. Lou (“Inspector Lou”), who was conducting cur- rency enforcement examinations of passengers on that flight. At the time, Krikor had $8,000 cash in his pants pocket and $17,601 cash in two pouches hanging around his neck under- neath his sweater, while Zenda had $10,000 cash in a plastic bag in her purse and $43,717 cash in various pouches in her purse. Although Inspector Lou did not follow, to the letter, the Customs Service’s procedures for conducting currency exami- nations when he examined the Tatoyans,1 he did inform them that there was no law against taking money out of the United States but that, if they were carrying more than $10,000, they must declare it and file a form with the Customs Service. He also informed them that there would be no taxes or penalties on any money they declared.

When Inspector Lou asked the Tatoyans how much money they were carrying, Krikor responded that he was carrying $8,000 and Zenda…