DEA asset seizure on SWC ($16,000)

shop deals on amazon
Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Looks like he has a Chase bank back home he could have opened an account with. I hope he gets he money back with interest.
 
There really is not limit to government sanctioned theft. First cash then credit and debit cards with demand for disclosing PIN and on and on. A government out of control can do whatever. Fortunately we still have somewhat independent courts in many cases. But it is still a pain.

Here is a story that I came across on Facebook today which humorously addresses part of the issue....

OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM

A cow was running away from the jungle, an elephant stopped the cow and asked the reason behind her panic,
COW SAID,
govt has orderd to catch all the buffaloes in the jungle,


ELEPHANT SAID:
but are a cow.
why are you running?
COW SAID: I know I'm cow but if they catch me, it wil take 20 years to prove that I'm a cow not a buffalo.

The elephant also started running with the cow !!
Click to expand...
 
This is pretty interesting, especially since we're taking the SWC to Los Angeles soon. It's something to think about, how to handle an encounter with the DEA, and whether it is worth blowing up the train trip to defend our constitutional right to freedom from illegal search and seizure. The Amtrak Police can do security searches, which their policy says if you refuse, they will escort you from the train and arrange for a full refund of your fare. Hard to say how the DEA will react if you refuse a search. It turns out that the DEA considers these cold consent encounters voluntary, so they probably can't do much. On the other hand, this recent report from the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General cites some issues with the program, namely racial profiling, uncertainty about how effective the program is, and most concerning, inadequate training of task force members.

https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2015/e153.pdf#page=1

Unlikely that a couple of white middle-aged people like other half and me would attract DEA attention, but then again, we both favor long flowing locks and could be mistaken for old hippies.

Er, by "blowing up the train trip," I meant having the trip end abruptly by us getting booted off the train for refusing a search. Just so nobody is confused.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Royal Blue said:
It's something to think about, how to handle an encounter with the DEA, and whether it is worth blowing up the train trip to defend our constitutional right to freedom from illegal search and seizure.
Click to expand...
Well, here is one way to look at it:

If you stand your ground and make them honor the right given by God*, then you may be inconvenienced for a few hours. If you acquiesce and become like the other sheep, you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life.

Never fold for an illegal search. Make them state their probable cause. If they have one, then insist for a warrant or have them repeat their reason to perform an immediate search into a recording device. You will be surprised at how many bold, tough-guy cops will back off and mutter something inappropriate. Whenever I have been asked to step out of my vehicle I always lock the door and place the keys deep in a front pocket.

*The fourth amendment is in the Bill of Rights. Our founding fathers found that these are inalienable, God-given rights and needed to be enumerated and written down to remind those who would violate them.
 
There is no mention of a god in the Bill of Rights.
 
Stickler for Accuracy said:
There is no mention of a god in the Bill of Rights.
Click to expand...
That is true. I could not find any mention of god in the Bill of Rights or in the Constitution of the United States. The only mention of god to be found anywhere in all of this is in the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence where it talks of "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" which "entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

See: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
 
Please try to stay on topic.

Thank you. :)
 
pennyk said:
Please try to stay on topic.

Thank you. :)
Click to expand...
Maybe the thief's, er LE Agents that are confiscating the cash are just following orders?

If you notice, all the press releases, er stories that mention seizures of cash, mention the amount and imply that there must be something criminal or sleazy about having cash in your possession!

The one thing most suburban, comfortable Americans don't really

know, and don't seem to want to know, is how corrupt most LE Agencies really are!

The people in the inner cities, the homeless and the poor know for sure as all the recent stories about corrupt police agencies have shown!

Cue Bob Dylan singing: ," When You Gonna' Wake-up?"
 
Royal Blue said:
Unlikely that a couple of white middle-aged people like other half and me would attract DEA attention, but then again, we both favor long flowing locks and could be mistaken for old hippies.
Click to expand...
This is the thing. I can talk big about refusing a search, but I don't even have enough hair left for flowing locks, and I can bloviate away, knowing that no DEA agent will ever approach me.

The last time I took a bus across the Canadian border the border agent could not get rid of me and Mrs. Ispolkom fast enough. She had many more questions for the much younger passenger behind us.
 
Ispolkom said:
Royal Blue said:
Unlikely that a couple of white middle-aged people like other half and me would attract DEA attention, but then again, we both favor long flowing locks and could be mistaken for old hippies.
Click to expand...
I can talk big...
Click to expand...
How about this: Ask the DEA why they need to seize your money when drug cartels are paying for their hookers. OUCH!!!
Reminds me of this poster on FlyerTalk talking big stating "I've played literal sometimes. It's fun."

TSA: State your name

me: "your name."

TSA: Excuse me?

me: You're excused. This time.

TSA: What is your name?

me: It's the unique identifier that I was given at birth.

TSA: Can you state your name for me?

me: Yes.

TSA: Are you refusing to state your name?

me: No need to refuse since it's written on those 2 docs you're holding in your hand.

TSA: So what is your name?

me: It's right there in your hand. Let's see if you can pronounce it correctly?

TSA: Do you want to fly today?

me: I actually don't 'want' to fly. I'd rather be home. Are we done here?

TSA: Have a nice flight.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
My first ever vacation by train, transcon PHL to PDX (card to chi, zephyr to sac, CS to SEA, EB to Isaac Walton inn, and EB to PDX) came through Reno, and Reno's finest were already there waiting for me. They barged into my roommette, and 1 identified himself as RPD detective. He said he needs to search my room. I politely said no thanks, and asked what he suspects me of. He told me I'm traveling from Northeast to CA one way, cash(agr points), and he has reason to believe I'm smuggling drugs. I informed him I've never used drugs in my life, but that's irrelevant, I haven't done anything wrong, and won't consent to a search. The other officer (had yet to identify himself) informed me they'd have to escort myself and my stuff off of the train while awaiting a search warrant, and the train would leave without me. I then said I'm fully ok with a search by Amtrak police, because I agreed to that when I bought my ticket, but not local pd. Second cop then (mis) identified himself as Amtrak police, but didn't show a badge. Under the impression he was Amtrak pd, I consented to his search. Of course I didn't have anything I shouldn't have, and I knew 100% I wasn't doing anything illegal, and have never touched drugs in my life.

I'm actually still really ticked about it. I gave up my rights to save my vacation. The trip was fantastic, but this incident left a very bad taste for the rest of the trip. I have yet to transcon through Reno again.
 
Last edited:
Let's get back to asserting your rights on Amtrak.

If, and when, you are hassled by a "consensual interaction" as the DEA calls it. That means warrantless search with vague threats and no lawful justification.

Everybody knows - you keep your lily-white (or ancient sunburned veined) hands in plain view and don't move quickly (even if you can).

Say, as politely as you can, that you prefer not to interact with the stranger (how could you know if the crittur is actually a federal agent - we citizens don't know what a DEA ID looks like.

Politely refuse discourse.

If these "strangers on a train" ask who you are and where you are going, smile and say something innocuous.

If in a sleeper, push the call button, anywhere, ask for the conductor (- just to get witnesses.)

Never consent to strangers searching you or your baggage. If they are law officers, they need, and will have, a warrant.

If they are scamsters pretending to be law officers, or if real law officers, they will be looking for people who look like most vulnerable.

Look like a patrician (I don't mean Armani suit) I mean look and act like someone who knows their rights, slightly annoyed by probable imposters who don't have a clue about the rules.

Never get angry, don't get upset.

Politely refuse unwarranted searches.
 
DryCreek said:
Royal Blue said:
It's something to think about, how to handle an encounter with the DEA, and whether it is worth blowing up the train trip to defend our constitutional right to freedom from illegal search and seizure.
Click to expand...
Well, here is one way to look at it:

If you stand your ground and make them honor the right given by God*, then you may be inconvenienced for a few hours. If you acquiesce and become like the other sheep, you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life.

Never fold for an illegal search. Make them state their probable cause. If they have one, then insist for a warrant or have them repeat their reason to perform an immediate search into a recording device. You will be surprised at how many bold, tough-guy cops will back off and mutter something inappropriate. Whenever I have been asked to step out of my vehicle I always lock the door and place the keys deep in a front pocket.

*The fourth amendment is in the Bill of Rights. Our founding fathers found that these are inalienable, God-given rights and needed to be enumerated and written down to remind those who would violate them.
Click to expand...
The Fourth Amendment is a dead letter for most citizens most of the time. Instead we have the War on Drugs.
 
I'm glad the authorities are watching and prosecuting illegal activity on Amtrak. It's not meant to be a criminal free for all! Illegal smuggling of cash could be going to fund domestic terrorism for crying out loud. Stop yer whinin'.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No offense tommylicious but do you happen to be a youngster that doesn't realize how corrupt police agencies are in this country?

Its perfectly legal to have Cash, but it has become a magnet for greedy, corrupt LE Agencies!

Standing up for our rights is not whining, it's the Price of Liberty!

The Government ( LE Agencies) is supposed to work for us, not become gangster cartels confiscating everything that isn't nailed down! ( See thw DEA and Reno 911!!)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
All I can say is that incidents like this (alongside abuses of sovereign immunity) leave me with an intemperate reaction and generalized lack of sympathy towards a significant number of law enforcement agencies. Probably the most sickening aspect of this is the justification for Civil Asset Forfeiture that "we need the money".

(Not to get off on a tangent, but there was a CAF reform bill in Virginia that got held up in the Senate. In the House of Delegates, my delegate was one of only six or seven to vote against. Suffice it to say that I had a nice, private chat with him and with the staff on the Senate side about what was going on. Also...when folks wonder why, though Republican, I wind up with not-insubstantial sympathies with small-l libertarian causes...this is a pretty good example.)
 
jimhudson said:
No offense tommylicious but do you happen to be a youngster that doesn't realize how corrupt police agencies are in this country?

Its perfectly legal to have Cash, but it has become a magnet for greedy, corrupt LE Agencies!

Standing up for our rights is not whining, it's the Price of Liberty!

The Government ( LE Agencies) is supposed to work for us, not become gangster cartels confiscating everything that isn't nailed down! ( See thw DEA and Reno 911!!)
Click to expand...
This issue is discussed in a 13-part series:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/collection/stop-and-seize-2/
 
NW Cannonball:

You say, "Never get angry."

I know that's good advice. If I were faced with that kind of situation I would try to take that advice, But it would be very hard. Are we the only ones who paid attention when the Bill of Rights was discussed in school? Or do they teach that old fashioned stuff at all any more? It seems that vast numbers of today's so-called educators have fallen so much in love with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) that the really important elements of citizenship have fallen into a black hole.

The only way the terrorists can win is if they push us into abandoning the very principles that have defined us for 240 years.

.....or maybe I'm just a doddering old guy who doesn't understand. (But I don't think so.)

Tom
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top