How Terrifying Drug Raids Became A Cash Cow For America's Police Read More: Http://www.businessinsider.com/how-Scary-Drug-Raids-Became-A-Cash-Cow-For

[bobandtorey]

Because 1984 was an election year, it would need to have an omnibus crime bill of its own. Polls showed that crime was the most pressing domestic issue with the public, so everyone running for reelection needed something to tout on the campaign trail.

 

At this point, there wasn’t any real debate about crime policy. It was really only about which party could come up with the most creative ways to empower cops and prosecutors, strip suspects of their rights, and show they were more committed to the battle than their opponents were. The most significant provision in the newest crime bill again dealt with asset forfeiture.

The new proposal was to let law enforcement agencies involved with federal drug investigations share in any asset forfeiture proceeds that the case might produce. Previously, forfeiture revenues went toward general operations. Under the new law, the Justice Department would set up a fund with the cash and auction proceeds from its investigations. After the lead federal agency took its cut, any state or local police agencies that had helped out would also get a share.

The measure was considered uncontroversial at the time, but it is difficult to overstate the effect it would have on drug policing over the next thirty years. With drug investigations now a potential source of revenue for police departments, everything would change.

The law’s impact was immediate. After it passed, for example, the CAMP [Campaign Against Marijuana Production] raids and those like them in other parts of the country were no longer just about putting on a good show and terrorizing the counterculture. Now the raids could generate revenue for all of the police agencies involved.

The DEA’s [bill] Ruzzamenti was rather frank about it in an interview with Ray Raphael for his 1985 book on the CAMP program, Cash Crop.

“The biggest focus of what we’re doing is going to be on land seizures,” Ruzzamenti said. “Anybody who is growing marijuana on their land, we’re going to take their land. It’s as simple as that. It’s done civilly through the federal system. Basically, people have to prove that they weren’t involved and didn’t know about it. Just the act of having marijuana grown on your land is enough to tie it up; then you have to turn around and prove you’re innocent. It reverses the burden of proof.”

Some people in northern California owned thousands of acres of land, much of it densely forested. Growers were also known to set up operations on someone else’s land, without the owner’s permission. If the feds started a forfeiture process, the owner was then in the difficult position of having to prove his innocence. Even then, federal prosecutors could argue that he should have been more vigilant about policing his property for pot plants.

Some landowners faced the loss of hundreds of acres of property over a few dozen marijuana plants grown in an area the size of a backyard garden. Because it was much easier to win land through civil forfeiture than to win a conviction in criminal court, federal prosecutors often offered to drop the criminal charges if the landowners agreed to hand their property over to the federal government.

Those sorts of offers exposed just how fraudulent the government’s justification for its terror tactics really were. Allegedly, these pot growers were the dregs of humanity, greedily poisoning America’s children with their sinister harvest. They were dangerous enough that the government had to send virtual armies to occupy entire towns, buzz homes and chase children with helicopters, set up roadblocks to search cars at gunpoint, and strip suspects and innocents alike of their Fourth Amendment rights.

These growers were that dangerous. However, if they were willing to hand over their land, the government was more than happy to let them go free.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-scary-drug-raids-became-a-cash-cow-for-americas-police-2013-7#ixzz2Zrw1RhlQ

 

 

Reuters/John Gress

Suspect Gerald Ware stands handcuffed in his home as police conduct a raid in search of illegal drugs during the execution of a search warrant for marijuana in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in this November 12, 2009 file picture.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-scary-drug-raids-became-a-cash-cow-for-americas-police-2013-7#ixzz2Zrw5qBka

[Herb Cannabis]

Because 1984 was an election year, it would need to have an omnibus crime bill of its own. Polls showed that crime was the most pressing domestic issue with the public, so everyone running for reelection needed something to tout on the campaign trail.

 

At this point, there wasn’t any real debate about crime policy. It was really only about which party could come up with the most creative ways to empower cops and prosecutors, strip suspects of their rights, and show they were more committed to the battle than their opponents were. The most significant provision in the newest crime bill again dealt with asset forfeiture.

The new proposal was to let law enforcement agencies involved with federal drug investigations share in any asset forfeiture proceeds that the case might produce. Previously, forfeiture revenues went toward general operations. Under the new law, the Justice Department would set up a fund with the cash and auction proceeds from its investigations. After the lead federal agency took its cut, any state or local police agencies that had helped out would also get a share.

 

The measure was considered uncontroversial at the time, but it is difficult to overstate the effect it would have on drug policing over the next thirty years. With drug investigations now a potential source of revenue for police departments, everything would change.

The law’s impact was immediate. After it passed, for example, the CAMP [Campaign Against Marijuana Production] raids and those like them in other parts of the country were no longer just about putting on a good show and terrorizing the counterculture. Now the raids could generate revenue for all of the police agencies involved.

The DEA’s [bill] Ruzzamenti was rather frank about it in an interview with Ray Raphael for his 1985 book on the CAMP program, Cash Crop.

“The biggest focus of what we’re doing is going to be on land seizures,” Ruzzamenti said. “Anybody who is growing marijuana on their land, we’re going to take their land. It’s as simple as that. It’s done civilly through the federal system. Basically, people have to prove that they weren’t involved and didn’t know about it. Just the act of having marijuana grown on your land is enough to tie it up; then you have to turn around and prove you’re innocent. It reverses the burden of proof.”

Some people in northern California owned thousands of acres of land, much of it densely forested. Growers were also known to set up operations on someone else’s land, without the owner’s permission. If the feds started a forfeiture process, the owner was then in the difficult position of having to prove his innocence. Even then, federal prosecutors could argue that he should have been more vigilant about policing his property for pot plants.

Some landowners faced the loss of hundreds of acres of property over a few dozen marijuana plants grown in an area the size of a backyard garden. Because it was much easier to win land through civil forfeiture than to win a conviction in criminal court, federal prosecutors often offered to drop the criminal charges if the landowners agreed to hand their property over to the federal government.

 

Those sorts of offers exposed just how fraudulent the government’s justification for its terror tactics really were. Allegedly, these pot growers were the dregs of humanity, greedily poisoning America’s children with their sinister harvest. They were dangerous enough that the government had to send virtual armies to occupy entire towns, buzz homes and chase children with helicopters, set up roadblocks to search cars at gunpoint, and strip suspects and innocents alike of their Fourth Amendment rights.

These growers were that dangerous. However, if they were willing to hand over their land, the government was more than happy to let them go free.

 

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-scary-drug-raids-became-a-cash-cow-for-americas-police-2013-7#ixzz2Zrw1RhlQ

 

 

Reuters/John Gress

Suspect Gerald Ware stands handcuffed in his home as police conduct a raid in search of illegal drugs during the execution of a search warrant for marijuana in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in this November 12, 2009 file picture.

 

 

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-scary-drug-raids-became-a-cash-cow-for-americas-police-2013-7#ixzz2Zrw5qBka

Thanks for posting this Bob, although it makes me sick, people need to see this information.  Maybe one day people will have had enough, maybe!

[phaquetoo]

Good Post Bob!  Great info and so true, ive had cars and cash taken, they make it so you cant afford the bond to fight for your property back!

 

Peace

Jim

[solabeirtan]

Great article Bob, mucho gracias!

 

Isn't this similar to what the Nazis did to the Jews back in the 40s ?

[GregS]

The House Judiciary committee has, on record, my comments regarding civil asset forfeiture that argue that the impetus for violent drug interdiction is found there more than anywhere else, and that police agencies can be expected to maintain it at all cost. They are not willing to give up this cash cow.

[Wild Bill]

The House Judiciary committee has, on record, my comments regarding civil asset forfeiture that argue that the impetus for violent drug interdiction is found there more than anywhere else, and that police agencies can be expected to maintain it at all cost. They are not willing to give up this cash cow.

 

That's right! They will go down kicking and screaming.

 

I've been raided and I've been robbed and the only difference in the experience was that the robbery ended when the thieves left. The aftermath of the raid went on for months with eveyone I came in contact with taking more of my money.

 

We're fighting an industry.

[bobandtorey]

That's right! They will go down kicking and screaming.

 

I've been raided and I've been robbed and the only difference in the experience was that the robbery ended when the thieves left. The aftermath of the raid went on for months with eveyone I came in contact with taking more of my money.

 

We're fighting an industry.

I am so sorry i didn't know you where Raided

When was it and what year?

thanks

[Wild Bill]

I am so sorry i didn't know you where Raided

When was it and what year?

thanks

Back in '03. They were after my son. One of his "friends" was told if he gave three names they would let him go. He gave them my sons name. They sent in a swat team and found a little under a gram on my son and 1/4 oz. of 15 year old ditch weed that I found growing in a field, threw in a box and forgot I even had.

 

Ended up with guns and cash confiscated (actually my mothers grocery money), probation, drug abuse counseling, community service (slave labor), fines, court costs and legal fees. A little under $10,000 all things considered.

 

Oakland county is a wonderful place to live!

Edited July 23, 2013 by Wild Bill

[bobandtorey]

Back in '03. They were after my son. One of his "friends" was told if he gave three names they would let him go. He gave them my sons name. They sent in a swat team and found a little under a gram on my son and 1/4 oz. of 15 year old ditch weed that I found growing in a field, threw in a box and forgot I even had.

 

Ended up with guns and cash confiscated (actually my mothers grocery money), probation, drug abuse counseling, community service (slave labor), fines, court costs and legal fees. A little under $10,000 all things considered.

 

Oakland county is a wonderful place to live!

WOW! 

again we where Lucky and our grateful for the MMMA the sad thing is their will be many that are not so lucky 

[solabeirtan]

Keep the Faith, Bob. We know it must be tough sometimes,

'... but the times they are a changing."  Thanks for doing your part part, bro! 

 

Sorry for your troubles WB. Agreed on the OC Gangsters... cant believe your still there!

 

I ran out of LivCo after being raided. Dispicable opportunists...  The only County richer than OC, allegedly. 

[Wild Bill]

Agreed on the OC Gangsters... cant believe your still there!

 

It'll take more than those butt plugs to chase me from my home.

I've always subscribed to Abbie Hoffman's statement, “The ground you're standing on is liberated territory. Defend it.”

 

These dinosaurs are in their death throes, they just haven't realized it.

[solabeirtan]

It'll take more than those butt plugs to chase me from my home.

I've always subscribed to Abbie Hoffman's statement, “The ground you're standing on is liberated territory. Defend it.”

 

These dinosaurs are in their death throes, they just haven't realized it.

Very virtuous WB, but an expensive proposition as you have come to understand.  

 

I wasn't aware Abbie had died. Had to check up on him. I was here they were there: the Chicago7, 1968! They upstaged the entire convention. God bless em. Unfortunatley, Nixon won anyway  

 

From his service: "Rabbi Norman Mendell said in his eulogy that Mr. Hoffman's long history of protest, antic though much of it had been, was 'in the Jewish prophetic tradition, which is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.'^[34]" 

 

RIP Abbie Hoffman                      peaze

[bobandtorey]

It'll take more than those butt plugs to chase me from my home.

I've always subscribed to Abbie Hoffman's statement, “The ground you're standing on is liberated territory. Defend it.”

 

These dinosaurs are in their death throes, they just haven't realized it.

It'll take more than those butt plugs to chase me from my home

be careful their they do take home's also

[TheHarvester]

Thank you for always taking time to keep us updated Bob, I always look forward to your posts