Police Can Seize Your Car Even If You Have Committed No Crime

[Rainman]

It's the legal for Police to seize you car and anything you have in it if they suspect that you are a drug dealer or suspect any cash you may have with you was gained by means which were not honest.

THE POLICE can take your car and everything in it — including the cash you are transporting to buy a used truck — even if you’re not guilty of any crime. Getting your property back can take months and cost thousands.

And you'd wonder why people don't like the police that much! What would make the cops think you are part of a drug ring?

tinted windows on cars, cars that are too clean, cars that are too dirty, drivers who are too nervous, the presence of energy drinks and so forth.

You'd ask yourself. Why do they do this? Here's the shocking answer:

“Hundreds of state and local departments and drug task forces appear to rely on seized cash, despite a federal ban on [using] the money to pay salaries or otherwise support budgets

No wonder smugglers are allowed to sneak across the borders with drugs.

 

[bala]

That is really man,to scary say the least.I mean..I literally am out of this..
WOnt they abuse this system any day..? Doesn't this seem a bit too much to enforce as a law..?.Crazy people.

 

[Rainman]

Won't they abuse this system any day..?

They do. Out of state travelers are also harassed. Should they try to lodge a complaint then they are threatened. That their kids will be taken away from them. Who is more valuable to the traveler? The kids or their stuff. They choose to keep their kids and let everything else go for the cops to divide amongst themselves as "bonuses."

While cars and houses are frequently seized, most often the property value is just small enough it makes far more sense for the owner to forget about contesting the forfeiture.

 

[headmaster]

Yes police have got that behavior. Personally I have witnessed police seizing my brothers car yet he had not committed any crime.

 

[helaofthenorns]

I know a lot of people who have been victimized by corrupt police officers. Some of them who go to courts or the media to report these officers either get ambushed or find planted evidence in their homes. It is really scary.

 

[Muthoni]

I think that is good to be obedient and do what the police ask to avoid getting into more trouble. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash in the car if it is against the law of that land. If tinting of windows is not allowed let them remain clear. When you live with people then there are rules and regulations to follow. They do not have to make sense, we just go along.

 

[LuckyGirl08]

I am not trying to sound mean but police are getting out of control with their actions. I have known some cops to take people's property and keep it or sale it. There are many drug bust where cops do not turn in everything that they confiscated, they end up selling it and making a profit.

 

[Whitewolf2578]

I better clean my car! It is pretty dirty and I might get pulled over because it's dirty and has red bull in it. There used to be justice in the system, now apparently it is just us in the system. This is a bunch of bull.

 

[oraclemay]

I think this is completely ridiculous. Imagine how they could take control of any number of vehicles in a day!

 

[PriscillaKing]

I'd like to see some police officers stand up against this abomination. It came up in the Virginia legislature this year. I was really counting on my State Senator to outlaw this practice (he's a former State Trooper and had sponsored a bill that would outlaw seizure of assets prior to conviction), really irked by online allegations that he was going to drop his own bill as a favor to old friends, and really disappointed that...well, he said he was waiting for nationwide federal legislation on this topic. Wow. Didn't you always think the Constitution just sort of covered this issue?

 

[timelord731]

This is absolutely awful.

 

[tanker]

Utimiately it is the citizen's own fault, they are the ones that allowed congress to pass these laws to "keep them safe". They always think it can never happen to them. The police themselves just enforce the laws, and are not breaking any laws.

If people want to sacrafice liberty for safety, they should move to communist China, there are no terrorists there.

 

[shilpa123]

It is really sad that such things should happen. I do not understand why would they harm the civilian in this manner. It should never be done.

 

[Gabe]

I guess there has to be reasonable suspicion for this to happen. I think given the child abductions, the police do need to have some power to stop and search vehicles because that's often how children are kidnapped and cross state lines. Given that stolen cars are also used in crimes, that might also be another reason. Of course there are police that abuse this power too, but I think they still need a warrant to seize it, but if you get pulled over for something they can ask to search it.

 

[jesuslover0314]

Not to long ago a woman's car was taken away because her son drove it and got pulled over for speeding. She was trying to get her car back but the court denied for over a year. She finally got her car back after a year. So i wouldn't have been happy.