There's nothing "tinfoilly" about the Constitution. If somebody is found guilty of breaking the law, let the court justly punish them with imprisonment or fines. But I am opposed to this legalized plunder, by which government steals the property of its citizens.
Many government agencies now include the net proceeds from asset forfeitures as line items in their budgets, revealing just how important this practice has become. That property siezure has become such a profitable enterprise leads me to question the motives for so many searches and raids. Is it the drugs they're after, or the property they might sieze?
Saddest of all to me is the corruption which has been institutionalized by asset forfeiture. All of the officials on whom we depend for justice -- police, judges and elected officials -- have a vested interest in siezing the property of citizens. Each stands to collect his cut from the liquidated proceeds, yet we expect them to do the right thing...
Right on the money. The forteiture laws have done more to corrupt honest law enforcement than anything except possibly prohibition in the 1920's. Those laws clearly violate the 5th amendment's taking clause, yet the courts let the outrage continue and gladly take their share of the booty. It's hard to imagine a more perfect recipe for LE corruption and abuse of power.
I have never used illegal drugs and have little sympathy for those who are caught doing so, but the WOD as it is conducted has been, and continues to be, the worst thing that has ever happened to the right we all have to honest law enforcement. But because of the acceptance of a police state mentality by the majority, including some of the posters on this thread, nothing can or will be done to stop it. Perhaps when enough of these holier than thou police state enthusiasts lose their own property over some trumped up charge by a greedy LE department that attitude may change.
Having said all that, I believe these people who lost their guns were incredibly stupid if they did possess any illegal substance as they have admitted. The appropriate action there would be a fine for a 1st time misdemeanor drug offense and return of all property to the rightful owners. But in reality I would bet they never see those guns again. They'rs just fortunate they didn't lose their vehicles and their home, must be that the LE agency there isn't quite as money hungry as they are in many jurisdictions.