American shakedown: Police won't charge you, but they'll grab your money

[Masark]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/america...oney-1.2760736

On its official website, the Canadian government informs its citizens that “there is no limit to the amount of money that you may legally take into or out of the United States.” Nonetheless, it adds, banking in the U.S. can be difficult for non-residents, so Canadians shouldn’t carry large amounts of cash.
That last bit is excellent advice, but for an entirely different reason than the one Ottawa cites.


There’s a shakedown going on in the U.S., and the perps are in uniform.


Across America, law enforcement officers — from federal agents to state troopers right down to sheriffs in one-street backwaters — are operating a vast, co-ordinated scheme to grab as much of the public’s cash as they can; “hand over fist,” to use the words of one police trainer.
...

Further reading

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/inv...top-and-seize/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/inv...e-law-who-won/

[Rukentuts]

How much you think makes it to the evidence locker?

[Independent voter]

When I go down to Mexico I carry a fake wallet with my real wallet hidden in my shoe. When my fake wallet get's stolen they get $20 max.

Also you have to pay mordida or bribes down in Mexico so you don't want the cops down there seeing all your money.

[Wells]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/america...oney-1.2760736

Listen if you guys wanna come down here and buy all our milk and cheap shoes its gonna cost you.

[Rukentuts]

Listen if you guys wanna come down here and buy all our milk and cheap shoes its gonna cost you.

We'll trade you for some prescription drugs.

[Masark]

How much you think makes it to the evidence locker?

0. It's "forfeitures", not "evidence".

[Ahhdurr]

This has been going on for years now.

[Rukentuts]

0. It's "forfeitures", not "evidence".

You know what I meant

The records, then.

[Eliandal]

Meh - the same thing can and does happen up here - and the onus is on YOU to show to the police that your money is 'legal' and not "proceeds of crime"

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Meh - the same thing can and does happen up here - and the onus is on YOU to show to the police that your money is 'legal' and not "proceeds of crime"

So the rule of thumb is "don't carry cash unless you want the police to steal it". Anyone else find that wildly ironic?

[Masark]

You know what I meant

The records, then.

Your police don't even maintain sensible records on the number of people they kill. I rather doubt they put higher priority on keeping track of the number they steal from.

[ringpriest]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/america...oney-1.2760736

Par for the course in "The Land of the Free" in its Orwellian 21st Century.

[Rukentuts]

Par for the course in "The Land of the Free" in its Orwellian 21st Century.

It's been going on forever though. My advice first time driving to Wisconsin from the pops was, "better carry cash" because apparently they love to target out of staters and demand you pay right then and there, lest you just leave and never pay the fine.

Although, admittedly, this is far more gross.

[PomPyro]

Can never be too safe.

[Blueobelisk]

Is that supposed to be a knock against the American government or corrupt police? Or is it just Canadian worrying with no actual basis besides maybe a few cases?

[Gumboy]

"past 13 years, there have been 61,998 cash seizures on roadways and elsewhere without use of search warrants. The total haul: $2.5 billion.'"


Thats a lot of cash money to be carrying around legit, isn't it? Thats 40,000$ PER STOP on average? Who carries that much cash around just to be carrying it around? Also, whats with the travel tips at the bottom? "Don't have energy drink cans" uh....ok.

- - - Updated - - -

This seems like a sensationalist article that mixes legit drug cash stops with minor incidents in order to start a kerfluffle/get people mad at police. $40,000 dollars in cash in your car? Yeah, seems something may be off there.

[Raging Penguin]

I wonder how the cops will feel if they walk away with your cash and then suddenly realize that they're monopoly dollars.

[Independent voter]

You can only bring $10,000 into the US without declaring it at customs so people smuggle money into the US. The cops must be taking non-declared smuggled money or else the Canadians would file complaints and the cops be investigated.

Only guessing.

[Bigbamboozal]

Listen if you guys wanna come down here and buy all our milk and cheap shoes its gonna cost you.

Pay your water and electricity bill.
And send your teens south for spring break, they leave too much garbage.

OT: wonder how that works in a 'stand your ground' state?

[Gumboy]

You can only bring $10,000 into the US without declaring it at customs so people smuggle money into the US. The cops must be taking non-declared smuggled money or else the Canadians would file complaints and the cops be investigated.

Only guessing.

And on average the amount confiscated was 40,000$