DEA bribes rail/airline employees for tipoffs that lead to warrantless cash seizures

[stinkinbadgers]

A year and a half later — after she produced paperwork showing that much of the money had indeed come from her boyfriend’s retirement fund — the Justice Department agreed to return the money, minus $4,000. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Detroit, Gina Balaya, said prosecutors concluded that “a small percentage of the funds should be forfeited.”

[quote]They seized $36,000 from his bags…

…The Justice Department agreed in May to return half the money, without explanation.[/quote]

I’m used to the Fuck-You-That’s-Why reasons, but this is really beyond the pale. Not even trying to come up with an excuse. It really is just about the money- sounds like they are looking for the sweet spot between keeping some but not keeping so much that it’s worth going after.

[aikimo]

Sure, but only one of them has the power presently to end this terrible behavior…

[bolamig]

What a perfect way to discourage people from declaring the money they travel with.

[MrHarley]

That’s why I keep all my petty cash in my butt.

[anon61221983]

[roomwithaview]

@bolamig

What a perfect way to discourage people from declaring the money they travel with.

Which is itself grounds for seizure.

(And blocks of bills are super easy to identify in luggage scanners).