A Vietnamese couple lost US$4.65 million in votive paper dollar bills upon entering the United States after customs agents confiscated the fake money.

Following conflicting statements from the two travelers, American customs agents searched their luggage to find a suitcase stuffed with the counterfeit money, according to the Detroit News.

“The couple attempted to import the counterfeit US$100 bills and Vietnamese dong into the United States to be offered as burnt offerings to the deceased, as often practiced in certain Asian cultures,” the Detroit News quoted a press release from US Customs and Border Protection as saying.

The fake cash was seized by the Secret Service and amounted to 93 bundles of counterfeit US$100 bills and 32 bundles of Vietnamese dong.

Because they had not attempted to spend the fake money, the couple was allowed to continue their travels, however US customs agents warned against bringing counterfeit money into the country, as it could result in federal charges.

[Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection]