Customs seizes more than $250,000 in jewelry at Philadelphia airport

U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized more than $250,000 in Cartier jewelry from a Pennsylvania resident arriving from Amsterdam at Philadelphia International Airport.

During a secondary baggage inspection, she initially told officers she had bought only a few thousand dollars' worth of souvenirs.

Officials said the purchases included a bracelet valued at nearly $184,000 and a ring worth about $68,000, and that she declared them only after officers said they knew about the purchases.

She later said she had discarded the jewelry boxes and receipts, and customs seized the items for failing to declare them and alleged violations of federal customs laws.

Travelers must declare goods bought abroad, including gifts and personal items; a personal duty exemption is typically up to $800, and failure to declare valuables can bring duties and penalties.

Her Global Entry membership may be revoked: one account says officials were preparing to revoke it, while another says it was taken away; she may petition the federal government to return the jewelry.