DETAINED by DEA

[Richard Munchkin]

I definitely want to talk more with Bob N about this when we have him on next time. Did you ask the agent if they train the dog to bark on command? It seems they must.

My understanding is that there was a supreme court ruling about these fishing expeditions, and the first thing you ask is, why did you pull me over. In your case he will say you didn't use your blinker. When he asks to search your car you say, what does that have to do with not using a blinker?

One thing I would highly recommend is that you record the entire conversation. As Bob pointed out in the interview this is a public conversation and there is no law against you recording it.

For anyone who did not hear the interview with Bob Nersesian you can hear it by clicking on the link to my blog below.

 

[Machinist]

Richard , i firmly believe the dogs are trained to bark on a covert command. I have a very close friend that went through the same thing as me. The dog got called when he refused to let them search. Dog comes and "ruff ruff". Nothing was found, 3 hrs on the freeway, didn't go to the station.
Also this same guy got stopped 6 months earlier and refused the search and nothing happened ,,no dog available and was let go on his merry way.
Yes by all means a interview with Bob would be great on this subject...although you guys did touch on some interesting things in last interview.
A step by step list on how to conduct yourself at a stop would be great!!!
I know i am practicing a backrooming as we speak......I almost want a good backrooming,,,, talk about a huge AP "play".....
Thanks !!!

Machinist

 

[Sucker]

About 10 years ago I had a Missouri State trooper pull me over on I-40. He asked me to step out of the car so I did. As I was getting out, he had his hand on the door, and a set of keys in his hand. The keys made a jingling sound, so his pretense NOW was that; because he heard a "jingling" sound "inside" the door, he now had the right to search the entire car. Funny thing; he ended up looking everywhere inside the vehicle EXCEPT the door!

Cops are not my favorite people....

 

[moo321]

I think you should sue them. It's ridiculous that this crap happens in a democracy, and it seems like the only way to fix it is to scare them into not searching law abiding citizens.

 

[duanedibley]

I have a good friend/partner who just recently went through this - cost HIM about 30 grand.

Can you post any details about this? Does he have any recourse to get his money back?

 

[Machinist]

I think you should sue them. It's ridiculous that this crap happens in a democracy, and it seems like the only way to fix it is to scare them into not searching law abiding citizens.

Your right MOO, know a good lawyer???
But first ya gotta make absolutely sure you have all your ducks in a row !!!! Same with a good backrooming....
Anyone interested in settin up a store for a good backrooming???? There has to be some stores that are known for stupid stuff lie that...

Machinist

 

[duanedibley]

"ok well we have the right to bring our dog in and if he "hits " on the car we are allowed to search.

Are these dogs trained to smell cash?

How detailed are the searches? Can you get away with just hiding your money in a really good spot in your car?

 

[Sucker]

I've been told by several different attorneys that suing the police entails a much higher burden of proof than suing anyone else. You have the added responsibility to show that their actions were malicious rather than just negligent. Suing a casino is a different story; much easier than suing the cops.

 

[Sucker]

Can you post any details about this? Does he have any recourse to get his money back?

It's been more than 6 months & he still doesn't have the money back. But it appears that he WILL get it back - minus attorney fees.

Rather not give out any more details, other than to say that it was Arizona Highway Patrol.

 

[Machinist]

Are these dogs trained to smell cash?

How detailed are the searches? Can you get away with just hiding your money in a really good spot in your car?

Duane,
I suspect that they are trained to smell cash........Have you ever smelled money.......it stinks!!!
so i'm sure a dog has no problem smelling money.
As far as them searching my car at the station, seemed to be fairly thorough. I had to put a few plastic pieces back on in the rear area. They pulled up my back seats... But door panels hadn't been bothered...they looked in the engine compartment, because a rag i had stuffed on the side was in a different position.
I certainly wouldnt hide money. If you havent listend to Richard Munchkins interview....do it!
Very interesting with respect to ziplock bagging your money...

Machinist

 

[21forme]

Cops are not my favorite people....

Someone I know who works as a public defender calls the police "criminals with badges."

 

[Friendo]

Are these dogs trained to smell cash?

Drugs.

The cotton-linen paper used for cash has the right texture to hold the extremely fine powder grains in cocaine, and also transfer it to other bills. The dogs will probably smell cocaine on your cash.

I'm assuming that police and DEA are honestly training the dogs, and not just commanding them to indicate a hit here. There is some evidence that dog-sniffing searches are not always fairly conducted.

 

[21forme]

I recall reading somewhere that 80% of $100 bills have some cocaine residue on them.

 

[blackjack avenger]

AP & Driving

It appears lawful driving is very important.

 

[Machinist]

It appears lawful driving is very important.

In this case it made zero difference....
But yes very important, I check all my lights, many times during a trip. I never speed. My papers to the car and ins. are first thing in the glove compartment.
I do need to keep it a little tidier inside the car I believe.
My close friend pulled over 2 times, couldn't see the liscense plate to well because of a slide in camper on his truck. 2nd time....weaving a little bit......
So...if they want ya,,,, they will stop ya...

Machinist

 

[Thunder]

I know I was stopped in NJ by some overzealous cops after a trip to the casinos a few years ago. They did the same thing to me except they claimed the reason why I was pulled over was because I "went over the solid lines" I knew this was total bs as I was quite sober. Then they went as far to ask me how me how many drinks I had had. I told them only 1 which was about 3 hours prior. They didn't believe me. Then they asked if I had been doing any drugs. I couldn't help but to laugh a little as I've never touched that stuff. Next thing I know, they're shining a light in my eyes and asking me to do a sobriety field test. I easily aced that one, and I'm guessing because they were upset that they had just wasted all this time for nothing, they decided then to give me a speeding ticket!! Of course I knew this was absolutely bs because there was no radar trap and the cop who pulled me over, well I had seen him about 3/4 of a mile behind me in my rear view mirror so I knew I wasn't speeding when he saw me. In the end, I suspect I was pulled over for simply having out of state plates on an empty country road in the wee hours of the morning. But that was a total b-tch because I had to drive back to deal with the NJ legal system just to try and get out of the ticket. They make you wait in a long line just to see the prosecutor to declare whether you're going to trial or not!! Then if you're going to trial, they make you come back another day for the actual trial. So do yourselves a favor and be very careful when driving in NJ.

 

[Caesar]

This story makes me more than a little angry...

Police will find or make up an excuse to stop your car. This is especially true at night and when you have out-of-state plates. They do this to increase their drunk driver arrest quota. Pull someone over at night for out-of-state plates or weaving within a lane or being a member of a certain race. If the officer smells alcohol: bingo! If not, they let the driver go. But the stop usually should legally not have been made in the first place.
Seizing money on the suspicion that it was obtained illegally is the odious practice of asset forfeiture. It turns the presumption of innocence on its head as you have to prove that the money didn't come from illegal activity. Nuts! Consider the loss of rights as another casualty in our country's failed war on drugs. Then again, it's more than just the loss of rights: many innocent people have had their cash confiscated and they didn't know how to fight it and therefore lost their money.
I wonder of I. Nelson Rose or another legal scholar thinks of this particular incident.
It cost you three hours, stress, and having to make nice to the cretins.

 

[metronome]

Currency most certainly has enough coke (and meth and PCP and any other snortable drug) for our trained canine detectives to hit on. Thank goodness it worked out Machinist.

 

[Brock Windsor]

I would highly RECOMMEND this!

I ALWAYS will tell them that I have about $1500 on me, and I'm here to spend money in their casinos. That almost ALWAYS works, and they just let me go on my way. I found out a long time ago that if you tell them that you have a large amount of cash, you're going to almost GUARANTEE problems for yourself!

I guess it's possible that some stupid cop MIGHT try charging you with a crime for lying to them (interfering with a police investigation?); but that's quite a stretch. The FIRST thing that he's required do do when he goes into the courtroom is to show probable cause as to why he even thought he had the right to ask you the question to BEGIN with. Case dismissed!

This may be the right thing to do when pulled over, I can't comment on that. For clarification for those reading, do not lie about cash at a border crossing. That is completely different than a roadside stop.

 

[duanedibley]

Duane,
I suspect that they are trained to smell cash........Have you ever smelled money.......it stinks!!!
so i'm sure a dog has no problem smelling money.
As far as them searching my car at the station, seemed to be fairly thorough. I had to put a few plastic pieces back on in the rear area. They pulled up my back seats... But door panels hadn't been bothered...they looked in the engine compartment, because a rag i had stuffed on the side was in a different position.
I certainly wouldnt hide money. If you havent listend to Richard Munchkins interview....do it!
Very interesting with respect to ziplock bagging your money...

Machinist

Thanks for the info. (Thanks to the other people who responded too.)

I have always been more afraid of getting my money confiscated (stolen) by the cops / DEA than getting robbed.

It sounds like the only real option is to carry as little as possible.