But the border is wide open.
I wonder how many are actually bribes in disguise. It’s the perfect cover.
I can always be proved that $100 bills were once involved in a cocaine transaction or were at least up against other bills that were because nearly all such bills have detectable traces of cocaine on them. If a drug dealer has sold amphetamine at 3 AM under the oak tree by the alley behind your house that is on your property then your whole lot can be forfeit.
Asset forfeiture laws allow us to take the ill-gotten gains of drug kingpins and use them to put more cops on the streets and more prosecutors in court.
In the last 5 years alone, the Justice Department shared over half a billion dollars in forfeited assets with State and local law enforcement.
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=2764&year=1991&month=3
I'm pretty sure they could care less if the person whose money is grabbed is a criminal or not. If unable to account how every last dime was acquired legally, it's adios to the money.
I live off the 1-10 corridor in TX, and it seemed folks were being stopped, and having money seized way too much for my comfort level.
There are certain ethnicities who are less likely to use banks around here. (ie, Asians).
If you're on your way to open a new restaurant somewhere, or buy restaurant equipment out of state with cash, don't act nervous when you get stopped as they will search your car, and take it, and you will get robbed under the guise of "it's drug money."
There is no presumption of innocence when it comes to the fast cash grab.
Sickening.
Highway robbery.