DEA agents in disguise are hanging out in airport terminals and going from gate to gate searching passengers as they prepare to board their flights.
In the Atlanta airport they’ve been found telling passengers it’s a ‘secondary screening’ to make them believe they’re required to submit, even though as a legal matter doing so is voluntary. Passengers don’t know they can just say no. But saying no may mean being detained. And when agents find cash, they keep it.
[T]he agents asked, “Are you high? Have you smoked? Do you have any drugs in this bag? Do you have any money?”
The search of Sturdivant’s bag turned up nothing, and he was allowed to board the flight. But Atlanta News First Investigates found several similar cases where officers with the DEA task force or Clayton County Police searched innocent people or seized money without making any arrests.
I’ve written about civil asset forfeiture at airports before, and even served as an expert witness in a case against the practice. The DEA frequently targets minorities so they’ve stopped tracking race. Police records though contain data showing 56% of jetbridge stops are of black passengers, while 68% are minorities.
Two comedians are suing over racial profiling on a jetbridge in Atlanta and there’s a nationwide class action over the abusive practice.
- The government seizes cash without charging anyone with a crime.
- Then the victim has to prove the money wasn’t used in a crime to get it back. There’s a byzantine process for doing this, and usually the victim has to enter into a partial settlement to get anything back at all, which includes a promise not to sue.
- And the way this is all structured, the agency seizing the money gets to keep part of it for themselves.
Even just flying Atlanta to Los Angeles is enough for a stop and seizure, because passengers are flying from ‘one known drug location’ to another. The government considers one way tickets suspicious, even though airline pricing practices have changed so that it often makes more sense to book one ways.
Local Atlanta news filmed plain clothes officers approaching passengers who were boarding planes, demanding to search their bags for drugs. They usually don’t find any. It’s the money they’re really after.
Here is more on civil asset forfeiture, from Last Week Tonight:
Ultimately it’s important to know that even though it is your right, it’s a good idea not to carry large amounts of cash with you at the airport. It’s subject to confiscation. And if you’re carrying more than $10,000 out of the United States, you need to register that with the government – not just with the country you’re carrying it into.
What infuriates me is that this is one thing that you’d think both Dems and Republicans could get behind eliminating. And yet everyone knows it’s a disgrace and nothing gets done.
The only time I carry more than my normal $20-40 pocket change is when I travel overseas and it’s usually not more than $100. Why would anyone carry a large sum of cash around?
Because it isn’t illegal.
When I go to Las Vegas or other casino locations I typically carry $5000-$10000 with me. On the other hand I’m an old white guy so seriously doubt they would target me. Not going to stop me from having cash. Yes I have credit lines at numerous casinos but like have a stack of hundreds to get things rolling.
This is really scary. Just got off Discovery Princess flying to SFO one way before flying to MIA on Monday and carrying a large amount of cash! Took the cash out my purse and put in my pocket in an envelope and TSA searched the contents. I did, however, watch every move!
This is literally highway robbery! There are so many other ways to locate drugs, like use a trained dog.
Federal overreach and not one politician cares and its just not airports either. You have Boarder Patrol doing traffic enforcement no where near the boarder. Most state and local crimes are being pursued by federal agents when such violations are not federal law violations. Even young teenage Coast Guard blue suitors are seen caring side arms and badges outside of federal military reservations in down town locations where there are no maritime nexus. Federal Government is getting too big!!!!
Mdtravel@live: when I go to Los Cabos, I have $600 in cash…FYI-that’s not illegal….DEA is no better than most…TSA is reputable
There is one reason to carry large sums of cash: You are travelling to Russia from a country that is sanctioning Russia. I have gone through this a little over a year ago. On our return to the USA, I had a TSA agent insist on looking at a pouch I had,around my neck, while being scanned. I did not take my eyes off the agent until she returned my pouch with all cash left in it.
No surprise. They’ve been stealing for years.
Thank you. This article carried much useful information.
Clayton County has one of the most corrupt police and/or sheriff’s departments around. Something about the Atlanta area where a certain demographic has taken control of everything and not only run it into the ground, steal thier way to the bottom while doing so.
We the people have let our government get this big and powerful, and we continue to let it grow.
Will be carrying a fair amount of cash to replenish an overseas bank account that ran low and is used for legal transactions (otherwise I wouldn’t be writing here!). It is easier than a wire transfer as I’m about to leave. But as an “old white guy” I doubt if there will be an issue. However, all this reinforces the old adage, “America doesn’t have a drug problem. America has a drug law problem.”
How is this not a 4th amendment violation?
Just say “No’, do not give consent to these illegal searches.
Only on Delta have I flown through Atlanta. Delta is low on my list of airlines to fly and Atlanta is very low on my list of places to fly through. I do carry thousands of dollars on my trips overseas as I typically lose less money that way instead of travelers checks or wire transferring money. I have even declared in excess of $10,000 of travelers checks many years ago to buy a new car for cash in Bangkok.
Wow. This reminds me of the ‘mordidas’ aka, bribes, that are commonplace in Mexico. But at least in Mexico the mordidas are small, usually just a few dollars, and when the deed is done the policeman waves you away with a big smile and a ‘have a nice day’.
@Sparky:
> The only time I carry more than my normal $20-40 pocket change is when I travel overseas and it’s usually not more than $100. Why would anyone carry a large sum of cash around?
In case things go wrong. Cards can get locked or otherwise not work. Cash in a carrier under one’s clothing is much more reliable (that is, until they came up with the imaging scanners. Those are less good at detecting weapons but better at detecting drugs and money–somehow I don’t think they’re about safety.)
@David curious what “demographic” you’re referring to. Care to share?
@Loren – why carry the money in you where a body scanner could see it (although I just go through metal detector). As noted before I carry between 5 and 10 thousand in hundreds when I go gambling. Just slide in a couple of envelopes and out in carrier with all my casino cards (have dozens) and similar such documents. Never had anyone question it and frankly seriously doubt (even with Gary’s concerns) I ever will. Not sweating it – old white guy and can explain exactly why I have the money. Worth case it is risk capital anyway so doesn’t really matter and could get more.
And the MAGA people keep talking about the lie of freedom in America.
ROLF
Carrying only $40 in cash is a recipe for problems, as mentioned above.
Once abroad, there was a Plus system ATM outage (impacted credit cars if I recal).. I usually have a couple hundred in cash (and my wife a similar amount), so I was able to exchange at a Thomas Cook. Cost me 7% vig over the normal rate.
Until recently, if you went to Argentina, it saved you huge amounts over any other form. Now they give rates almost as good as credit cards.
This is LEO crime..
Gary, can you give us an update on the class action suit? Filed in 2021.
Good on Atlanta News First for shining a light
With the former Clayton County Sheriff in jail figured it would tail off but looks like DEA still at it
This”white bread” story makes it appear they’re watching TSA scans and if they suspect more than $5k in cash they push to check and seize if it doesn’t add up.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/the-dea-seized-her-fathers-life-savings-at-an-airport-without-alleging-any-crime-occurred-lawsuit-says/
Back when the US Attorney General in the Obama Admin wanted to restrict racist profiling by law enforcement officers, go figure who wanted to keep racist profiling going on and on and on to run fishing expeditions against Americans too: DHS and also DOJ’s DEA.
Racist profiling is bad for America as it alienates the public from appropriate law enforcement objectives and lowers trust in the practice of the rule of law and also lowers respect for the law and law enforcement. And yet we still have the racist profiling hunts on-going and even coercing the victims of profiling into more or less paying for the harassment when subject to civil forfeiture.
@Raif, you don’t have 4th amendment rights once you go through airport security including being in line at TSA. There are sign at airports that say you are subject to search at any time.
Getting me some next time I’m connecting via ATL and instead of dealing with the SkyCkub lines and crowding, I’ll be entertained at the LAX departure gates to watch the overweight .
The Fourth Amendment is not dead upon getting airside at US airports.
For example, if I am airside at a US airport 200 miles from the nearest US international port of entry/exit or border, they can’t legally search the data on my electronics unless they have a warrant or consent from me. Thanks to the 4th Amendment still being applicable.
There will be zero consequences or accountability for the actions of these officers. Why wouldn’t they take our money?
Civil asset forfeiture is backwards and should be stopped as an infringement on the property rights of free peoples. It is used disproportionately against minorities and rewards bad police and bad policing methods such as racist profiling that adversely impact society across the board.
Since CAF has become a source of funding for law enforcement, they all won’t give it up easily. And if someone suggests cutting off civil asset forfeiture will the police unions come out and complain about “defund the police”?
Why do you think art sells for so much? Much easier to smuggle paintings than cash. Or the easiest way to smuggle is just start an NGO in Ukraine and get those Biden Bucks baby!!
SOBE ER DOC
If you are referring to Dave’s “No surprise. They’ve been stealing for years.” comment he’s obviously referring to the DEA. Don’t let your confirmation bias cloud your thinking!
Ain’t it great to live in the Land of the Free? And DEA is only one of a jillion police agencies that do ths.
Richard,
Every country has its problems. We do have an over-policing problem to some extent, but we also have a socio-economic dynamic and history that increases the risk of violent crime. No easy fixes for the US. Actually, no easy fixes anywhere with this kind of stuff or the easy-to-fix problems would be fixed already if they were significantly noticed.
I thought you had to have a BOARDING PASS to get into this area? How are the thieves getting past security? Shouldn’t the airline personnel and the Airport Police stop this NOW!
I thought you had to have a BOARDING PASS to get into this area? How are the thieves getting past security? Shouldn’t the airline personnel and the Airport Police stop this NOW! Enough!
They consider people trying to catch a flight as easier prey to “consent” — under what is arguably duress — to a search than the general public walking down a downtown sidewalk to and from the office.
Legalized stealing is not surprising. Under Biden, the USA has fallen out of the top 20 countries in the Freedom Index. First time ever for that disgraceful ranking. We are now a second tier country, at least to anyone paying attention.
While I wholeheartedly do not support illegal search and seizures why are people carrying large amounts of cash. I travel overseas several times a year as I also have a residence in another country. I maintain bank accounts in each country. There are so many ways to transfer funds between accounts that are not expensive. It’s simply foolish to travel with large amounts of cash anywhere yet the excuses fly.
DFWSteve,
That should be concerning, especially in the context of what has happened elsewhere. I am seeing a decline in freedom in many of those democratic countries where I’ve spent 100 days or more in the course of my life. The world’s biggest democracy, for example, is more authoritarian now than it was two decades ago. The most populous Scandinavian country is less free now than it was two decades ago. The Fraco-German rulers of the EU have made their countries less free now than they were 20 years ago. The UK is less free now than it was 20 years ago. And the list goes on and on.
Fear, insecurity, hatred and greed drive up demand for more and more criminalization and less and less freedom for the general public. The warning signs for the inflection toward this began with federal government pushes for CAPPS, Clipper Chip, music labeling and the massive growth in private sector parties at the intersection of tech sales and federal government contracting.
@DFWSteve. I’m no Biden fan, but this disgusting practice LOOONG predates Biden. Hence my anger that Dem after Dem, Rep after Rep knows this goes on and does NOTHING to actually stop it.
Note that I would classify the occasional statement of shock and outrage as doing NOTHING.
Hey @Gary. Off topic question. I noticed my earlier comment was automatically posted, but my most recent one was held up pending moderation. Do you know what that’s the case?
Thanks!
Thing 1,
If the submitted comment mentions certain words or has a link to a website, it often seems to mean a visit to the pending moderation status.
If anybody asks to search your luggage, just tell the. That only the TSA has that authoroty and that you are happy for the TSA to do a search.
Then politely remind them that they may be liable if you miss your flght.
The key point in all this is that flying internally in the USA, there is no limit on currency — international, $10,000.
This whole thing has become a disgrace. TSA has been pimped by various “agents” (aka govt thugs) to look for bullion and coins. Hence, whenever I travel with my Ziploc bag of one pound coins, 50ps and 20ps, the TSA scum will drag them out of my bag. (I am not getting caught in Hyde Pk with no access to restrooms again). As I asked the last luckless little cow: :”So, do you think I’m going to put them a sock and hit people with them? Best look for the sock next, hadn’t you?” They don’t have the wit to understand the point.
As to Govt goons wanting to rummage through your bags once past TSA — just say no. Eventually they’ll wise up and bring a TSA good with them.
Land of the free, anyone?
@Rexx P., it is the same old story of the thieves and the police being in league with each other.
@Thing 1 you are correct in that government agency stealing transcends political party rule. However, the USA dropped 7 places to 23rd in the 2022 Freedom Index published jointly by the Cato and Fraser Institutes. That is the lowest ever for the USA. And it happened on Biden’s watch.
Does anyone wonder if things are worse 8n other countries, or do we just tell ourselves things are worse there. After all, Americans have one of the lowest percentage of passport holders.
Sparky wrote:
> Why would anyone carry a large sum of cash around?
Cash makes things happen. When I travel I always carry some hundos and some fifties. Flashing them at the right time gets taxis, parking spaces, VIP entrances, a table in the wine cellar with no reservation, sold-out theater tickets (doesn’t work on Broadway), and even on-board amenities (like a repeat visit to inquire about drinks on a short flight…)
It’s like tipping. If you don’t want to do it, then in Europe that’s ok, and in the US it’s rude, but it’s still your choice. HOWEVER should you choose to do it, the people you help will be happy to help you back.
I’d rather travel with $500 cash than a cellphone and AmEx black… and I usually travel with 3 communication devices.