Man gets I-5 speeding ticket, loses a quarter-million dollar

**StlouisX50** · 09-27-2007, 10:15 AM

Man gets I-5 speeding ticket, loses a quarter-million dollars

By Seattle Times staff

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WASHINGTON STATE PATROL

Here's the cash, seized from a visiting Canadian who had a hard time explaining how he got it.

Driving 11 miles over the speed limit cost one driver more than a quarter-million dollars this weekend — at least for now.

A State Patrol trooper spotted a Honda Accord speeding southbound on Interstate 5 on Friday, according to State Patrol spokesman Jeff Merrill. It was raining, and the driver was cruising down the freeway at 71 mph. So the trooper pulled the driver over, Merrill said.

The 35-year-old from British Columbia, who had a valid driver's license, struggled to tell the trooper where he was going and how long he had been in Washington, prompting the trooper to search his car, Merrill said.

The trooper found two suitcases in the trunk — one filled with $276,640 in cash. The driver claimed he won the stacks of dollar bills at 23 casinos in Washington, California and Nevada, but he was unable to produce any receipts, according to Merrill.

The money was confiscated as the State Patrol investigates the incident. Merrill said if it is determined the man obtained the money legally it will be returned to him.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

**MEM-TEK** · 09-27-2007, 10:48 AM

One would think that the CHP would have to prove that the money was obtained illegally in order to keep it. Instead, the CHP keeps it without proof of any crime being committed. You can thank the RICO statutes, put in place under Reagan and the Republicans at the time, which give police broad powers to seize any property which they see fit. Its also why I never travel with more than a couple of hundred dollars in cash on me.

Here is another example:

Lets say you pull $1000 cash out of your bank account and are traveling with the money. Any law officer can seize your cash if you don't have a good explanation for why you are traveling with that much money since the officer may assume that you intend to use the money to purchase drugs.

**StlouisX50** · 09-27-2007, 12:06 PM

I agree dude! Totally!

**jerry540i** · 09-27-2007, 12:15 PM

[quote="StlouisX50"]Man gets I-5 speeding ticket, loses a quarter-million dollars

By Seattle Times staff

PREV of NEXT

Enlarge this photo

WASHINGTON STATE PATROL

Here's the cash, seized from a visiting Canadian who had a hard time explaining how he got it.

Driving 11 miles over the speed limit cost one driver more than a quarter-million dollars this weekend — at least for now.

A State Patrol trooper spotted a Honda Accord speeding southbound on Interstate 5 on Friday, according to State Patrol spokesman Jeff Merrill. It was raining, and the driver was cruising down the freeway at 71 mph. So the trooper pulled the driver over, Merrill said.

The 35-year-old from British Columbia, who had a valid driver's license, struggled to tell the trooper where he was going and how long he had been in Washington, prompting the trooper to search his car, Merrill said.

The trooper found two suitcases in the trunk — one filled with $276,640 in cash. The driver claimed he won the stacks of dollar bills at 23 casinos in Washington, California and Nevada, but he was unable to produce any receipts, according to Merrill.

The money was confiscated as the State Patrol investigates the incident. Merrill said if it is determined the man obtained the money legally it will be returned to him.

It's obvious the idiot was doing something wrong. No one drives around with $276k in the trunk. But what bugs me is

1) It's none of the cop's business where you're going or where you've been (even if you're Canadian.) Customs & Immigration have allowed him into the country.

2) Not telling the cop where you're going is not grounds for him to search your car. US case law says that the Consitutional right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure applies to foreigners on US soil as well.

Oh well.... :roll:

J/

**Maestro** · 09-27-2007, 05:41 PM

well it is this situation all over again

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtopic.php?t=30246

and this guy will never get the money back and they do not have to prove it was illegal gotten money even if he can prove it was not illegal.

The guy is screwed and they do not even have to press charges to keep the money. The basic assumption today is anyone carrying large sums of money is guilt of something illegal.