Civil Forfeiture Law

[streaminwild]

I had no idea of the ''Civil Forfeiture Law'' enacted by President Reagan in 1984. Design to seize drug money, since 9/11 reports of officers making random stops for cash seizures. I go to flea markets, yard sales, estate sales where cash is the only thing accepted. This law, is now being abused all over the country by law enforcement. A ''Black Asphalt '' training program teaches police how to seize cash, without criminal cause. Don't believe me? Check the net. It's bad enough worrying about the criminals, now this. So if not cash, does every campground, restaurant, attractions, accept credit cards? Has anyone had cash seized for no reason? This thread is to inform us on this little known law. I plan to take a long trip and carrying cash for expenses...now I don't know. Some gas stations in Virginia give you .10 discount for cash. How do you guys pay for things on the road. Please don't kill the messenger.

[LiLNomad]

I pay in cash, especially when purchasing gas. I have a 44 gallon tank and the cash discounted price makes a difference.
LilNomad

[Gearheart]

I use a card as much as possible. It is easier keeping track of expenses. Cash is good but never more that $300 at a time. A debit card can top that up as required.

[Lily&Me]

I would personally like to see you cite some credible examples of this law "now being abused all over the country", "Black Asphalt" trainings, and particularly how those may be currently applied to and affecting RV'ers.

Personally, if I were carrying large amounts of cash, I certainly wouldn't advertise that anywhere.

I know that large amounts of otherwise unexplainable cash, and expensive vehicles, are routinely seized by LEA in drug stops, but have never once heard of random stops of RV'ers resulting in this kind of search and seizure.

There is a fair amount of what I consider generally unfounded fear of unknown others out there already on these Forums, and I would hate to see that transferred on to LEA without serious substantiation....and which it would seem we would be somewhat aware of thru news reports.

Let's see some facts to back up these claims, please.


Maggie

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I would personally like to see you cite some credible examples of this law "now being abused all over the country", "Black Asphalt" trainings, and particularly how those may be currently applied to and affecting RV'ers.

Personally, if I were carrying large amounts of cash, I certainly wouldn't advertise that anywhere.

I know that large amounts of otherwise unexplainable cash, and expensive vehicles, are routinely seized by LEA in drug stops, but have never once heard of random stops of RV'ers resulting in this kind of search and seizure.

There is a fair amount of what I consider generally unfounded fear of unknown others out there already on these Forums, and I would hate to see that transferred on to LEA without serious substantiation....and which it would seem we would be somewhat aware of thru news reports.

Let's see some facts to back up these claims, please.


Maggie

^^^ This!

Just because you can find something on the Internet, does not make it true.

Mike

[streaminwild]

Maggie, I didn't believe it also, after reading scourage-ION post on the thread ''How to pay for a purchase''. So I spent a day, researching this law and personal accounts. The more I read, the more I got disturbed...to put it lightly. I have two siblings in the Boarder Patrol, which is why I couldn't believe it. So look up the law and start reading. Ps. You will use 1 gig reading on this topic or 2gigs on Youtube. There's too many complaints on the net, not to believe. If you want video Youtube it...of course they are really good actors............... You guys are killing the messenger.

[AWCHIEF]

A sign of the times. Some people believe everything they read on the internet.

[streaminwild]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

A sign of the times. Some people believe everything they read on the internet.

Michale, Spend a hour...thats all I ask. Like you I couldn't- wouldn't believe. Just informing everyone to be careful. Your killing me

[featherbedder]

What Maggie posted is very true. My sister and her husband had red jeep suv lived in Ariz. when coming to Il. last time stopped detained searched 5 times because drug runners use this kind of car, previous trips also stopped several times, this not only happens western states as happened to me in Ohio trav. with red gmc van [after mid night as some times drive all nite to races] going to pro. motor cycle race. They had no excuse for stopping and searched van and us. this was 27 yrs. ago so nothing new now program just same o same o. Not all cops do this but other friends say has happened to them so this is not internet garbage when you know about it first hand. Big flag red suv. or expensive veh. This is profiling.

[Lily&Me]

Still, streaminwild....you are relating this to traveling in an RV, and whether to carry cash for necessary purchases without fear of being stopped, apparently asked how much cash you are carrying, and having it taken from you.

I don't believe that is a reasonable fear, nor one grounded in facts.

Cite a fact, please, preferably a number of them...of an RV'er, stopped for no apparent reason, whose cash was seized.


Maggie

[Al and Missy]

While I believe that concerns may be a bit overblown, that is not to say that problems have not occurred. I have read actual news stories about people's life savings from a business being seized and tied up in court for over a year.

Certainly everything you read on the net is not true, to wit: black helicopters, the yeti, and ET being held in NM, occasionally there is a story from a supposedly credible source:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/inv...-targets-cash/

Most of the seizures mentioned were drugs, or drugs and cash. But apparently the presence of large amounts of cash is somehow considered incriminating.

YMMV.

Al

[tjdonahoe]

I use cash and a credit card, never seen anything like this, I think I will become a French model, lol...

[xrvr]

The sky is falling! Paranoia is running rampant.

[bwpaint]

Have a customer ( Painter) who was pulled over for a traffic violation. Officer spotted pill bottle in console, his girlfriend's. He was arrested for possessing prescription drugs, zanax i think, without a prescription. The painter was carrying a couple of thousand dollars to pay his crew, and the police confiscated the cash. Later all of the charges were dismissed, don't know the details, but the cash was never returned.
He is still working to get his money back, but he is a man with limited assets. Hiring an attorney would cost more than he would recover.

[McDave]

There's a difference between carrying $500 - $1,000 cash for expenses, which can be replenished from ATM's when it runs low, and carrying $10,000 or $100,000. If I were carrying those higher amounts, I think seizure by police would be number three on my list of worries, following having it stolen or losing it in a wreck or fire. I haven't read reports of police seizing smaller amounts of cash under the asset forfeiture program, although I suppose if you're arrested they're going to confiscate everything you have with you until you get out of jail.

I have read of abuses under the asset forfeiture program, and believe that anything seized should be promptly returned if charges are dropped or a person is found not guilty, free of any storage charges. Also, funds seized should be available to pay legal fees, as often those are the only funds the accused has, and are unable to pay legal fees if they are not available. Changes in the law to give these rights to accused persons are in the works, but whether they will be enacted or not is uncertain.

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by bwpaint

Have a customer ( Painter) who was pulled over for a traffic violation. Officer spotted pill bottle in console, his girlfriend's. He was arrested for possessing prescription drugs, zanax i think, without a prescription. The painter was carrying a couple of thousand dollars to pay his crew, and the police confiscated the cash. Later all of the charges were dismissed, don't know the details, but the cash was never returned.
He is still working to get his money back, but he is a man with limited assets. Hiring an attorney would cost more than he would recover.

Don't carry someone else's prescriptions and you won't have a problem.

[WayneG]

For over 10 years now, I have been driving my various motorhomes to help out with the music at a regional event known as Harvestfest. The harvest festival was not about vegetables.
I have never been stopped, (and even if I was, there are no harvest items in my vehicle) I have heard of patrons being stopped and searched but never any word of a full seizure.
Most of the festivals I attend have a certain "air" about them, but I have never been stopped, unless you count a toll both where the rookie trooper asked where my shoulder harness was. It took a while to explain that the age and type of vehicle did not require one. Knock on wood, no tickets or stops for me.
It may be off topic, but I believe that in a mororhome (not sure about a TT) you can refuse to allow a search without a search warrant. Of course you are opening a whole new can of worms by refusing.

[Airtandem]

Be careful on I 80 in Henry County Illinois, vehicles are frequently stopped and $$$ taken. Usually drugs are involved. One person had reciently won the money at a local Gambling parlor and he had to,prove it, took several years with legal system.

[DKB_SATX]

The conservative think tank "The Heritage Foundation" thinks that civil asset forfeiture laws are being abused and that uses of the laws have gone far afield of what was intended. The article includes several concrete examples.

Civil Asset Forfeiture: Good Intentions Gone Awry and the Need for Reform

[bwpaint]

Originally Posted by avionstream

Don't carry someone else's prescriptions and you won't have a problem.

I thought the discussion was pertaining to confiscation of cash unrelated to the original stop. Guess your belief is that he deserved to have his cash confiscated.

Wow