United States Ninth Circuit

Customs officials acting under authority of 31 U.S.C. section 5317(b) may search the full contents of any package, container or other object to be searched, even if that package, container or other object serves to enclose smaller envelopes or other wrapped or sealed objects. Where personal correspondence or other documents indicate evidence of contraband or other criminal activity that is immediately apparent to the inspecting official, those items too may be searched even though said evidence may not relate to the interdiction of undeclared currency.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/27/2008
• Decided 08/14/2007
• Published 08/14/2007

Judges

• CLIFTON, Circuit Judge:, Before:  ALEX KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, and PAMELA A. RYMER, BARRY G. SILVERMAN, M. MARGARET McKEOWN, RAYMOND C. FISHER, JOHNNIE B. RAWLINSON, RICHARD R. CLIFTON, CONSUELO M. CALLAHAN, CARLOS T. BEA, MILAN D. SMITH, JR., and SANDRA S. IKUTA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Jerald Brainin, Los Angeles, CA, for defendant-appellant John W. Seljan., Michael J. Raphael (argued), Assistant United States Attorney, Los Angeles, CA, and Richard Y. Lee, Assistant United States Attorney, Santa Ana, CA, for plaintiff-appellee United States of America.