Stop and seize: Aggressive police take hundreds of millions of dollars

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

62K seizures totaling $2.5 billion - that's not taking $5.00 - that's taking $40K a pop. I don't usually run around with that kind of cash on me. How 'bout you?

Hell yeah I keep that much cash on me. You never know when you need to buy an island you know?

[decocker 7,198]

Not sure if you even understand the topic you posted.

did you get a grip on things yet?

[rlogan 2,036]

There should be due process, no doubt. I was just pointing out that they're not seizing someone's lunch money.

Sure, why not let fantasy rule instead of the plain facts just reported: 41% had to fight the most powerful government on earth to get their money back when there was no justification for taking it in the first place. Half these seizures were less than $8,800. That's why the "$40K a pop" figure is such a terrible exaggeration.

One seizure of a million dollars makes the average high, and a horrible misrepresentation of what the cops are doing. No, they are NOT seizing "$40K a pop". Not even 20% of that figure for about half the cases. People going to auctions that need cash to buy things - and this isn't much. People on vacation. People buying (low-end) used cars. All manner of things.

This is a good example of "it doesn't affect me, so I don't care if someone else's money is stolen from them". Well it DOES affect you: when government can confiscate from me, it can also confiscate from you. Not just cash, but your car, boat, house, bank account, etc. Make you prove that the money in your account was earned legally. Whoopsie - no money for a lawyer? Too bad. We just took your money. You can't see the horror in that?

Edited September 16, 2014 by rlogan

[belinda63 3,038]

For those of you who are confused or didn't bother to read the article. You don't have to be charged with any crime to have your money seized. You can be stopped on a traffic violation and if law enforcement believes the money was either obtained illegally or is intended to be used in illegal activity, they can seize it and send you on your merry way. It is up to you to prove the money is yours, obtained legally, and not meant for illegal activity.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Sure, why not let fantasy rule instead of the plain facts just reported: 41% had to fight the most powerful government on earth to get their money back when there was no justification for taking it in the first place. Half these seizures were less than $8,800. That's why the "$40K a pop" figure is such a terrible exaggeration.

One seizure of a million dollars makes the average high, and a horrible misrepresentation of what the cops are doing. No, they are NOT seizing "$40K a pop". Not even 20% of that figure for about half the cases. People going to auctions that need cash to buy things - and this isn't much. People on vacation. People buying (low-end) used cars. All manner of things.

This is a good example of "it doesn't affect me, so I don't care if someone else's money is stolen from them". Well it DOES affect you: when government can confiscate from me, it can also confiscate from you. Not just cash, but your car, boat, house, bank account, etc. Make you prove that the money in your account was earned legally. Whoopsie - no money for a lawyer? Too bad. We just took your money. You can't see the horror in that?

It's the average figure derived from the number of seizures and the total value. You divide the latter by the former and arrive at $40K. That's the average value of the seizures. Some are higher, others lower. What else is new? And yes, they stop people on their way to the auction to take their money. Right. If you believe that, I've got some awesome bridges to sell.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[rlogan 2,036]

It's the average figure derived from the number of seizures and the total value. You divide the latter by the former and arrive at $40K. That's the average value of the seizures. Some are higher, others lower. What else is new? And yes, they stop people on their way to the auction to take their money. Right. If you believe that, I've got some awesome bridges to sell.

lol.

I taught statistics at the undergraduate and graduate level for over 20 years. What you are saying is absurd. You did not say that the average was $40,000. You said "40,000 a pop" - in order to make it sound like every seizure was $40,000. That is how you try to lie with statistics.

The truth is there are a small number of very high dollar seizures and also a large number of much smaller ones. So you are lying to say "40,000 a pop". If half of them are less than $8,800 it is not even remotely a true representation of what the cops are doing.

My God, you are delusional when you can just type "cash seizure from man going to auction" and find many cases. Good lord, I used that example because I do that very thing, and all of us worry about it:

http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/08/16/police-seizing-cash-and-property-from-citizens-without-charges/

That has examples of same but this one they report is even better:

Such actions don’t just happen in Texas. In Virginia, Victor Ramos Guzman, a church secretary, and his brother were pulled over by a state trooper. The two had $28,000 in cash on them. The cash had been collected from church members and was going to be used to buy property for the house of worship. The trooper seized the cash and reported the case to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). By reporting the Guzman brothers, who were legal residents of the United States, the Virginia state police could keep 80% of the cash under federal law.

You are actually that dull! Since you have no need to carry $28K in cash - nobody else does. You think all of these articles are made up? There have been years of horror stories.

You are such a cad to minimize what amounts to state terror.

[eieio 1,594]

did you get a grip on things yet?

I am sorry. I was wrong.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Canadians travelling to the US have known about this for years and have been warned by fellow travellers that they could lose any cash they have if they get stopped by any of the State police for minor infractions such as not using turn signals, going over the speed limit, etc. The Canadian CBC news agency reported the story as follows with a few statements and facts not included in the Washington Post article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-t-charge-you-but-they-ll-grab-your-money-1.2760736

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

what's yours is yours, long as you can prove it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2014/09/06/stop-and-seize/?hpid=z8

Clear violations of the 4th. The burden should be on Govt to prove it's not your's

Remember never ever consent to a search

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

lol.

I taught statistics at the undergraduate and graduate level for over 20 years. What you are saying is absurd. You did not say that the average was $40,000. You said "40,000 a pop" - in order to make it sound like every seizure was $40,000. That is how you try to lie with statistics.

The truth is there are a small number of very high dollar seizures and also a large number of much smaller ones. So you are lying to say "40,000 a pop". If half of them are less than $8,800 it is not even remotely a true representation of what the cops are doing.

My God, you are delusional when you can just type "cash seizure from man going to auction" and find many cases. Good lord, I used that example because I do that very thing, and all of us worry about it:

http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/08/16/police-seizing-cash-and-property-from-citizens-without-charges/

That has examples of same but this one they report is even better:

You are actually that dull! Since you have no need to carry $28K in cash - nobody else does. You think all of these articles are made up? There have been years of horror stories.

You are such a cad to minimize what amounts to state terror.

The bending of statistics to suit ones agenda is a royal past time here.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

For those of you who are confused or didn't bother to read the article. You don't have to be charged with any crime to have your money seized. You can be stopped on a traffic violation and if law enforcement believes the money was either obtained illegally or is intended to be used in illegal activity, they can seize it and send you on your merry way. It is up to you to prove the money is yours, obtained legally, and not meant for illegal activity.

Odd. I've been stopped for a traffic violation once - yes, once - and all that happened was that my license and registration were asked for, I got a talking to by the officer and was on my way. I did not have to produce my wallet or detail how much money I had on me or anything like that. Odd, ain't it?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

lol.

I taught statistics at the undergraduate and graduate level for over 20 years. What you are saying is absurd. You did not say that the average was $40,000. You said "40,000 a pop" - in order to make it sound like every seizure was $40,000.

lol

Maybe rather than teaching stats, you should have taken a course on the subject of context. Why? We;;, because when you look at the "$40K a pop" in the context it was used, I think it is abundantly clear how I arrived at that figure.

62K seizures totaling $2.5 billion - that's not taking $5.00 - that's taking $40K a pop. I don't usually run around with that kind of cash on me. How 'bout you?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You are such a cad to minimize what amounts to state terror.

You guys are so lucky that you have never actually experienced what state terror is.

[decocker 7,198]

Odd. I've been stopped for a traffic violation once - yes, once - and all that happened was that my license and registration were asked for, I got a talking to by the officer and was on my way. I did not have to produce my wallet or detail how much money I had on me or anything like that. Odd, ain't it?

i was pulled over multiple times in my twenties, never had anything taken from me and was never asked to be searched. but when i was a teen, i knew of a few instances of cops taking all cash in pockets. as in, cops taking and saying, we won't tell your parents we had a run in with you, but you're not getting this back.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

i was pulled over multiple times in my twenties, never had anything taken from me and was never asked to be searched. but when i was a teen, i knew of a few instances of cops taking all cash in pockets. as in, cops taking and saying, we won't tell your parents we had a run in with you, but you're not getting this back.

rogue cops do exist. who knew?