Catching many travelers off guard is a new practice being stealthily carried out by drug agents dressed as plainclothes passengers at the Atlanta airport who […]
  • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
    128·
    1 year ago

    Of course Yahoo buried the lede:

    While the searches may not be popular, they’re certainly profitable.

    Clayton County records and federal documents show that drug agents find large amounts of cash on passengers at departing gates rather than drugs. Agents have seized millions of dollars, and while travelers aren’t arrested, their money is often administratively forfeited.

    Like most civil forfeiture cases, people who have their money taken must prove in court that their money isn’t connected to drug trafficking or other illegal activity. Seizures like these don’t just happen at the Atlanta airport. They’ve taken place at airports across the country.

    • anemoia_one@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
      68·
      1 year ago

      must prove in court that their money isn’t connected to drug trafficking or other illegal activity

      Ah yes, the cornerstone of US law, “guilty until proven innocent”

      • pedro@lemm.eeEnglish
        357·
        1 year ago

        Generally I would agree with you on that but here aren’t they already guilty of moving large cash amounts without any sort of authorization? (I don’t know if it’s legal or not to transport that much cash in the US)

        • cybersandwich@lemmy.worldEnglish
          24·
          1 year ago

          If it’s your money you can do whatever the hell you want with it. I think title 31 regulates if you are moving money for other people/money laundry, etc

        • I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.worldEnglish
          14·
          1 year ago

          Are there rules in some countries about not being allowed to carry as much cash as you want/need? That seems very strange to me as a US citizen. Is it because you might use it for drugs/other off the books transactions? or just because it’s dangerous and you might get robbed?

          • Aqarius@lemmy.worldEnglish
            11·
            1 year ago

            There’s rules about crossing borders, with the intent of curbing tax evasion and money laundering. But even then it’s mostly an obligation to report.

          • pedro@lemm.eeEnglish
            7·
            1 year ago

            In France it is illegal to have more than 10k€ on your person. So moving large sum of cash is illegal but there might be a way to have a proper authorization to do so?

        • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
          61·
          1 year ago

          It’s perfectly legal in the US to carry any amount of cash, but …… asset forfeiture has turned into a situation where if police assume it was used for a crime, they can steal it from you without actually proving there was a crime committed.

          While I can see that in a lot of cases large amounts of cash are related to crimes, there are also plenty of cases where that’s not true. More importantly it’s a workaround for your Constitutional protections that should be illegal as hell

    • renlok@lemmy.mlEnglish
      26·
      1 year ago

      How is this allowed in US, it’s what you might expect from a police force in a third world country

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.worldEnglish
        71·
        1 year ago

        They shouldn’t but absolutely do. They follow the conservative maxim and consider themselves part of the in-group

        “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition … There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” --Frank Wilhoit”

  • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    284·
    1 year ago

    I was followed around by an obvious undercover one time, assumed they were checking me as a terrorist, but it was far more likely they thought I was a mule.

    Me: Middle-aged white guy, desert combat boots, straw cowboy hat, huge CamelBak. When I travel, in any way, I dress for comfort, weather and the ability to handle whatever random shit comes my way.

    Here’s what I wrote at the time so I don’t mix up memories:

    Got followed around DFW by an OBVIOUS undercover. Standard-issue ex-military federalé. White guy, early 40’s, good looking, square jaw, shaved tight, excellent shape. Clothes so plain it was obvious he was trying to blend in, BUT the kinda boots you wear to hike or fight in. Ever seen a 30/40-something undercover cop in a college bar? Yeah, that guy, except the look screamed professional. Seems this guy is tailing me, I might be paranoid, pulled some “tradecraft”. Turned and came back at him. He stops to look in a closed perfume/soap shop window. Not a place in which guys would be interested, nothing to actually see in there, and he’s obviously not looking into the store. He’s watching my reflection!

    Glanced at a shop window, oh lawd he comin’! Went a few dozen yards down the concourse, pulling my tail along, spun a 180 and walked back through the crowd waiting to board. He casually spun into facing another random shop, unfocused eyes, perfectly still, not window shopping. Lost him soon after. Did he catch onto me?! Did he feel he was blown and called in another tail? Found me harmless and gave up? LOL, the man certainly avoided eye contact like I was some kinda Gorgon!

    SO wanted to blow his cover! Wimped out.

    All I can figure is that I checked a pistol case, perfectly legit, and sported a loaded CamelBak with gear loaded in the molle loops. Maybe the grenade pouch looked sus? Also, had a 7-hour layover and walked every square inch of all 5 terminals. Looked like I was casing the joint?

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldOPMEnglish
    161·
    1 year ago

    “Flights from Atlanta to Los Angeles are routinely monitored by these officers, who call them “known drug trafficking routes.””