Arizona cops seized $40,000 in cash from black trucking boss who was traveling to buy a new rig after accusing him of being drug dealer

Daily Mail ^

[algore]

A North Carolina trucker has waged legal war against the entire police department of Phoenix, Arizona - after officers seized $39,500 in cash from him at a local airport alleging it was drug money.

The suit, filed in April by Triple J Trucking owner Jerry Johnson, demands the sum returned in full for what he slammed as 'false accusations' by the force, who seized the money during an August 2020 stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Johnson, the owner and operator of his Charlotte-based business, alleges that seizure was unjust, saying he had saved the money to purchase a new semi-truck.

Confident he could find a deal at an auction in Phoenix, the suit states, Johnson flew domestically with the cash from Charlotte to the Arizona city - but was quickly jammed up by detectives who questioned him about the perfectly legal haul.

The suit adds that during this supposedly routine stop, investigators became adamant that Johnson, a middle-aged black men, was in the process of laundering the money as part of an illegal drug trade.

Eventually, under the threat of arrest and further interrogation, Johnson cooperated with detectives by handing over the $39,500. Cops have since refused to return the sum, standing by their initial assessment that the credentialed North Carolinian was using his business as a front. 

On Monday, in a crucial development in the now years-long legal saga, a libertarian-leaning public interest law firm filed an appeal in Arizona on Johnson's behalf - after the suit was tossed last year by a local judge. The amended complaint reveals that more than two years later, Johnson is still without his money, and has yet to be charged with a crime.

Prosecutors also claimed in court that cops had detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the cash

[algore]

This kind of thing is very upsetting, and should be illegal.

I have had more money than this in my pocket many times, but it had nothing to do with drugs and certainly not hookers

[coloradan]

Those who “back the Blue” should consider that when tyranny comes, it will be enforced by police officers.

[PTBAA]

He was pulled over for DWB.

[from occupied ga]

The police are NOT your friends. They are the part of the government that will kill you for not following the bureaucrats whims.

[EEGator]

This is theft.

[MeganC]

This is armed robbery pure and simple.

Also, it’s now illegal to have cash since any prick with a badge can threaten you with prison unless you hand it over.

Seriously, defund the police. Because at this point we’re paying these criminals to steal our money.

[rottndog]

....nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;....

I cannot seem to lay my finger on that clause in the Constitution that provides an exemption to this clear statement of the 5th amendment...

[Mark17]

Prosecutors also claimed in court that cops had detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the cash

The standard bull shit that cops come up with, all the time.

[TigerClaws]

I don’t know why they even bother to have police dogs as well as police seem to be able to smell.

This is a cash grab government overreach and the legal theft needs to stop.

[Dr. Franklin]

The police are NOT your friends. They are the part of the government that will kill you for not following the bureaucrats whims.

Police are a necessary evil. People want cops to protect them from violent felons, but what they get is a gang of professional liars with a sense of entitlement. These people are very aggressive about compulsory fundraising for the elites who hire them.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Confident he could find a deal at an auction in Phoenix, the suit states, Johnson flew domestically with the cash from Charlotte to the Arizona city - but was quickly jammed up by detectives who questioned him about the perfectly legal haul.

---

Missing from the article was "why was he quickly jammed up by detectives"? There are lots of other black people to harass; why did they pick him?

[Dr. Sivana]

Prosecutors also claimed in court that cops had detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the cash

Freely dispensed "medical" marijuana has been available for many years in AZ. It was in pizzas, gummis, burgers. Now they even gave up the pretense of needing a prescription as recreational use is allowed. Of course there could be cannabis scent on the currency.

[Persevero]

They picked him because he was flying with a large amount of cash. Their detectors pick up on that, or what looks like that, and they will search you and find it.

So don’t fly with large amounts of cash. I forget the threshold maybe $10,000.

Absolutely illegal we should be able to fly with millions in our pockets if we want to.

[catbertz]

Do auto and truck auctions require cash for purchases? Seems like a tempting target for thieves(cops).

[Brian Griffin]

My bank will only give me a couple hundred in cash.

If I want more to say open an account elsewhere, they’ll give me a check.

That being said, the presumption of innocence should apply. And if the cash smells of pot, judges have noses.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

While this kind of things makes the headlines the average amount of money stolen by Civil Asset Forfeiture is $600.

You get stopped by the police for not fully stopping at a sign and you may end up being stripped of everything of value you have. Including your car.

CAF is a horrible practice and should be against the law.

[algore]

I always carry at least 100 trillion dollars, sometimes more. <>

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

TSA calls the police when they see you have a wad of cash. Because they get a cut.

[ryderann]

Did Phoenix need the money to buy votes?

[colorado tanker]

These cops are just common thieves.