Opinion ID: 496271
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Constitutionality of Sec. 5317(b)

Text: 4 Nates claims that Sec. 5317(b) is unconstitutional because travelers who are leaving the United States may not be searched without a search warrant or probable cause. This is a question of law, which we review de novo. United States v. McConney, 728 F.2d 1195, 1201 (9th Cir.) (en banc), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 824, 105 S.Ct. 101, 83 L.Ed.2d 46 (1984). Miramontes searched Nates' luggage under authority of Sec. 5317(b) which stated at the time: 5 A customs officer may stop and search, without a search warrant, a vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance, envelope or other container, or person entering or departing from the United States with respect to which or whom the officer has reasonable cause to believe there is a monetary instrument being transported in violation of section 5316 of this title. 6 Section 5316 requires persons transporting more than $10,000 in currency into or outside of the United States to report the currency to customs officials. Although the Ninth Circuit has not expressly addressed the constitutionality of Sec. 5317(b), prior precedent effectively forecloses the issue. The border search exception to the fourth amendment, which allows a search to be initiated without a warrant, probable cause or articulable suspicion, applies to exit searches. United States v. Whiting, 781 F.2d 692, 695 (9th Cir.1986); United States v. Cardona, 769 F.2d 625, 628 (9th Cir.1985); United States v. Duncan, 693 F.2d 971, 977 (9th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 961, 103 S.Ct. 2436, 77 L.Ed.2d 1321 (1983); accord United States v. Udofot, 711 F.2d 831, 839-40 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 896, 104 S.Ct. 245, 78 L.Ed.2d 234 (1983); United States v. Ajlouny, 629 F.2d 830, 833-34 (2d Cir.1980), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 1111, 101 S.Ct. 920, 66 L.Ed.2d 840 (1981). The rule has been criticized in dissent, Duncan, 693 F.2d at 983-84 (Fletcher, J. dissenting), and in dicta, United States v. Des Jardins, 747 F.2d 499, 503-04 (9th Cir.1984), modified in part on other grounds, 772 F.2d 578 (1985), but has not been overruled. This circuit holds that a suspicionless exit border search is constitutional. A fortiori, Sec. 5317(b), requiring reasonable cause, is also constitutional.