Sunday, August 26, 2007

Highway Robbery This has been making the rounds pretty well already, but I want to make sure everyone knows what kind of country this is becoming, thanks to the drug war. (via The Agitator) Yes, the police can stop you and take your money at gunpoint for no reason than the fact that you have money. Anastasio Prieto of El Paso gave a state police officer at the weigh station permission to search the truck to see if it contained "needles or cash in excess of $10,000," according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the federal lawsuit Thursday. Prieto told the officer he didn't have any needles but did have $23,700. Officers took the money and turned it over to the DEA. DEA agents photographed and fingerprinted Prieto over his objections, then released him without charging him with anything. Border Patrol agents searched his truck with drug-sniffing dogs, but found no evidence of illegal substances, the ACLU said. [...] DEA agents told Prieto he would receive a notice of federal proceedings to permanently forfeit the money within 30 days and that to get it back, he'd have to prove it was his and did not come from illegal drug sales. They told him the process probably would take a year, the ACLU said. 7:24:57 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []