Customs at O'Hare snags $700,000 in undeclared jewelry

CHICAGO - Customs officers seized a cache of jewelry from an alleged smuggler worth nearly $700,000 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency announced the seizure Friday, July 4, noting the American citizen who failed to declare the items now faces a penalty of up to the jewelry's domestic value.

The 65-year-old man arrived at O'Hare on Thursday, July 3, from Paris via a flight from London. He claimed nothing on his written declaration and told customs officers he hadn't purchased anything on his trip.

But officers examining his baggage found receipts and boxes of what looked like high-quality jewelry. Other jewelry items were in clothing pockets in his luggage.

Customs officials say if the passenger had declared the items he would have paid about $30,000 in duty.