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UNITED STATES v. BAJAKAJIAN

Opinion of the Court

opinion, in which Rehnquist, C. J., and O(cid:146)Connor and Scalia, JJ., joined,
post, p. 344.

Irving L. Gornstein argued the cause for the United
States. With him on the briefs were Acting Solicitor Gen-
eral Dellinger, Acting Solicitor General Waxman, Acting
Assistant Attorney General Keeney, Deputy Solicitor Gen-
eral Dreeben, and Kathleen A. Felton.

James E. Blatt argued the cause and ﬁled a brief for

respondent.*

Justice Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court.
Respondent Hosep Bajakajian attempted to leave the
United States without reporting, as required by federal law,
that he was transporting more than $10,000 in currency.
Federal law also provides that a person convicted of willfully
violating this reporting requirement shall forfeit to the Gov-
18
ernment “any property . . . involved in such offense.”
U. S. C. § 982(a)(1). The question in this case is whether for-
feiture of the entire $357,144 that respondent failed to de-
clare would violate the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth
Amendment. We hold that it would, because full forfeiture
of respondent’s currency would be grossly disproportional to
the gravity of his offense.

I

On June 9, 1994, respondent, his wife, and his two daugh-
ters were waiting at Los Angeles International Airport to
board a ﬂight to Italy; their ﬁnal destination was Cyprus.
Using dogs trained to detect currency by its smell, customs
inspectors discovered some $230,000 in cash in the Bajakaji-
ans’ checked baggage. A customs inspector approached re-
spondent and his wife and told them that they were required
to report all money in excess of $10,000 in their possession
or in their baggage. Respondent said that he had $8,000 and

*Ronald D. Maines ﬁled a brief for the Clarendon Foundation as amicus

curiae urging afﬁrmance.