'investigative holds,' asset forfeiture, Desert Snow

sodope

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
308
(MODS: I am not sure where this would go. I did not realize this waas a thing until recently, and believe this is valuable information that everyone should be aware of. Let me know where it ends up...Thanks)


Most police departments have AT LEAST one officer trained with a method of 'investigative holds,' asset forfeiture. This means, that if you take part in a crime, any item present during said crime, can be forfeited to the state. Basically, its bullshit, guilty until proven innocent, and unconstitutional. It's purpose is to harm drug dealers, gangs, and cartels, by hitting them in the checkbook, but many police departments use it to buff up their budget, to get items they want for the station, and to show off. They can straight up take money from you. On top of that, there is a private company that conducts the training, called Desert Snow. Not only does it teach officers ways to steal your shit, but they have a inter-agency form of communication... Meaning - If you are pulled over in one county/jurisdiction, and get off when they dont find anything, but they still suspect you of whatever, they can contact the next jurisdiction that you will be going thru (when they ask where you are going), who will receive all the info from the previous pull-over, and may try different means to get you. So if you are riding dirty, get pulled over, are fine, and think youre safe in the next county, and decide to smoke some pot or whatever, think again, cuz you are not in the safe. See the following links...

http://cookcountyrecord.com/stories...set-forfeiture-to-run-racketeering-enterprise

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

https://desertsnow.com/

... :X
 
Right? I can't believe that's legal. I mean, of course it looks suspicious if you get pulled over with a suitcase full of cash, but to seize it based on a hunch? That's whack... Especially when you have comitted no crime. The really scary part, is the lack of definition as to what amount of money one can have, before it is deemed suspicious. Cops can say ANY amount is, and seize it. And to get it back, you have to jump through so many legal flaming rings, that the time and money needed to challenge these forfeitures often ends up costing more than the amount seized.

I just watched a video about a cop, who was operating a farm, and had a farmhand steal some wire while out on a run with one of the farmers fleet trucks. Because the truck was used in a crime, the local PD seized it under this law, even thought the farmhand who perpetrated the crime did not own it. Below are the links to the article and video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U6CDWUXbfw

http://www.forbes.com/sites/institu...ighting-to-end-civil-forfeiture/#523a17582665
 
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