The growing outcry over police confiscation

[Judi Lynn]

16 September 2014 Last updated at 19:16 ET
The growing outcry over police
By Anthony Zurcher

Ming Tong Liu had a suitcase with $75,195 (£46,000) he was going to use to buy a restaurant. For Mandrel Stuart it was $17,550 in proceeds from a barbecue restaurant. Benjamin Molina was going to use $18,000 to buy a car. Jose Jeronimo Sorto had $28,500 in church funds for a land purchase in El Salvador and a new trailer in North Carolina.

Each of these men was driving in the US with sizable amounts of cash when they were pulled over by police for minor traffic infractions. Mr Liu, for instance, was going 10 miles over the speed limit. Mr Stuart's car's windows were too dark.

Each of these men had the money in their possession confiscated by police despite not being charged with a crime. It was enough that the officers suspected the money was tied to an illegal activity.

It's a process called civil forfeiture, and it is the subject of a recent three-part series in the Washington Post, which looked at these four cases and hundreds of others in which law enforcement confiscated property based solely on reasonable suspicion. The owners are then presented with an often long, difficult legal process to go about reclaiming what was taken.

More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-29228851

[TreasonousBastard]

1. This has been going on for years...

thanks to drug laws. Sometimes the cars are impounded, too, along with personal effects. The jurisdictions that allow, or encourage, this love it because they get free money and the cops can pay for themselves this way.

The only way to stop it is either the states take care of it or civil suits get double and triple damages and break the towns.

[msongs]

2. it's a shame elected democrats do nothing to stop this and stop privatized incarceration too nt

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[westerebus]

4. same as it ever was...

[DFW]

5. This has made huge headlines here in Germany

Many people have written to newspapers carrying the stories saying they will not visit the USA for this reason, or at least not rent a car and travel only to cities and use taxis, etc.

I had one colleague from Munich ask me if this was some kind of joke or reality. When I told him it was all true, he put on hold all plans for trips to the States. He said if he wanted his cash confiscated by corrupt cops, he only needed to visit France or Belgium. Why go all the way to America for the privilege?

[ReRe]

6. K&R

Where does all the money, property go? Whose pockets does it end up in? To the local government? To the US Treasury? or to the overlords of the community in which the confiscation takes place? Or to the policemen's pockets, themselves? It is theft, any way you look at it. Legalized theft.

[Diclotican]

7. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

Hm I believed Highway robbery was something of the past most places - but I guess it is still something that happened in the US - not by robbers - but by men and woman in uniform...

But is this even legal - to confiscate others property - if they can give evidence for what the money was intended to go to - and have documentation to prove that the money was legal ?...

Diclotican

[Lenomsky]

8. I carry cash in USA ...

Due to excessive debit and credit card charges I buy currency in UK (great exchange rate right now) and take to USA but ensure less than $10k which seems a lot but I stay awhile normally. I also gamble sometimes.

When I returned recently I had about $6,000 and no receipt from currency exchange and was a little concerned if searched it may be confiscated and then I would be required to provide evidence. I future I'll ensure I have receipts!

Slightly off topic.