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Some K-9 dogs even get trained to sense the smell of cash and currency over time. Many postal inspectors have weapons warrants, and their work is to arrest the criminal and defend the mail system. What Is USPS's Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP)? Some are given below. Make sure the safety of the state from criminals and dangerous criminal purposes. . As a result, 2,228 workhours were unsupported in FY 2019. Postal Inspection Service has federal law enforcement officers, Postal Inspectors, who enforce approximately 200 federal laws to achieve the agency's mission: protect the. Asset Forfeiture Attorney is a highly rated asset seizure and forfeiture defense law firm that serves clients in the state of California and nationwide. It punishes the criminals to make the U.S. postal service defendable and friendly. So the USPS seized your weed - what now? - Red Law Caught Sending or Receiving Drugs Through Mail - Pumphrey Law Often times a package disappearing IS your drugs disappearing, but a small amount of marijuana is unlikely to lead to criminal charges being brought against you. Domestic mailings with barcode services can be eligible for package intercept. June 14, 2022 Nathaniel Once the postal inspector receives the suspected mail, they will attempt to contact the sender or recipient and if unsuccessful, attempt to seize it. Personnel at the [redacted] allowed Postal Service employees to drop off Registered Mail suspected of containing illicit drugs in an accessible container identified for [redacted] use. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives.Although all major shipping carriers, like FedEx, UPS, USPS has specific federal and state regulations that must be adhered to for shipping firearms, such packages are considered dangerous goods and sometimes seized to ensure a proper check. Why Do Grocery Stores Not Have Lobster Tanks Anymore? Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. Once again, this is subject to the actions of law enforcement. Officers can search your mail with a search warrant which is supported by probable cause and granted by a judge or magistrate. the trade dress of USPS packaging, the Letter Carrier Uniform and the Postal Truck and the following marks are . A first-class Forever stamp for a 1-ounce card or letter costs 58 cents and when bargain-basement prices are advertised, that's a red flag. Postal workers can be alert to a suspicious package, which can result in them being targeted. The FOIA documents, after all, show that the officers knew they were detaining political masks at the height of protests against police violence. For instance, when a private third-party shipping company, like FedEx, figures out the package contains suspicious content, like cash, ammunition, or drugs like weed or prescription drugs, they can take the package out of its normal shipping cycle and inform about it to the law enforcement agency. Specifically, 1,839 of 95,491 pounds (2 percent) of narcotics seized were identified as illicit drugs other than marijuana. Throughout the process, he would touch base frequently, always be available for my questions and keep me on task with information he needed to do his job. The function of this firm is processing and checking all mails packages and delivering them to the respective person. Sometimes, even the slightest deviation from a legal statutory can make the difference between getting your seized item back and losing it forever. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. It checks out the robberies of the U.S mail, U.S postal employees, U.S postal property, and postal facilities. The U.S. postal agency secures them from loss, theft, and abuse. Our efforts include direct lawsuits against government officials at all stages of litigation (such as our cases on behalf ofSylvia Gonzalez,Erma Wilson,Cassi Pollreis,Hamdi Mohamud, andKevin Byrd), appellate briefs in support of individuals who have suffered at the hands of government officials, and outreach to members of the public who want to know more about the difficulties of suing governments and their employees for violating individual rights. First, the internal postal system notes documenting the seizures indicate that the officials inexplicably claimed that the packages were sent from Eurekaa city 275 miles north of Oakland, in a region informally known as the Emerald Triangle because it is the largest cannabis-producing region in the country. Senior Paralegal and Office Manager (FL Office). What To Do If Your Package Is Seized During Shipping | Asset Forfeiture The package is sent back to the sender after 15 days. The USPS inspector general is the federal law enforcement agency protecting the mailing service from scammers and cheaters. This one is also pretty easy to understand. That is especially true given that the most cursory investigation would have confirmed that the packages were not mailed from Eureka, but that they came from Movement Ink in Oakland. Cannabis Mail Seizures on the Rise at USPS | Leafly We represent small and large businesses in litigation, as well as business representation. It is also known as the U.S Post Office and U.S mail. With dogs trained to sniff out drugs, local, state and federal authorities watch the mail for packages like Wrights when they come through the post office. Highlights of news outlets coverage of IJs work. You requested that the item be returned to sender or. The postal service lost your package even though it is still on its way to you. The attorneys at the firm have been helping clients recover seized assets and forfeited property for both criminal and civil lawsuits. They can use administrative subpoenas to get evidence. Third, the internal postal system notes documenting the seizures provide no legitimate reasons for the seizure and detention of the masks. Lentz Law Firm, Copyright 2022 Asset Forfeiture Attorney - All Rights Reserved, Abuse of Civil Forfeiture and Its Dire Consequences, Asset Forfeiture Frequently Asked Questions, Asset Forfeiture Litigation and Trial (Federal Law), Civil Asset Forfeiture and Hiring the Right Attorney, What Can the Government Seize in Asset Forfeiture. They need a warrant. These agencies have full authority to take action against criminals. The lawsuit also argues that the USPS officials violated Rens clearly established First Amendment rights to the extent that they retaliated against him for his political speech. But this second batch of packages did not arrive on time. For more information, please see our Depending on the option you choose, your deadline may not be the same. Jacek was able to help with his criminal case as well as getting his money back that was taken from him without any cause from the police. Is military action that defies international law sometimes justified? Breaking news from IJ, including case updates. Copyright 2023 by United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Statement, Reasonable Accommodation Written Procedures. The best way to approach this is to seek legal help and proceed step by step in order to reclaim your seized packages. The ANP program was established to remove marijuana from the mailstream; however, other types of illicit drugs have been found during the abandoned process. ZIP Chat us for guest posts and personalized ads. The U.S law enforcement seizes the USPS tracking if they feel something is suspect and illegal. The function of this team is to inspect the theft of U.S. mail by non-employees. Copyright 2020 - 2022 Webnews21 (GMW). Because of that, things work differently. This determination is important as there are specific rules to follow depending on who will handle the seizure process. However, never meet or speak to the police offer or investigator alone for interrogation unless you are with your attorney. 7 Biggest Mistakes When Moving To Spain As An American. The FBI has the ability to legally track suspects using the information on the outside -- but not the contents -- of any letter sent by USPS. Our objective was to determine whether the U.S. Within three working days, the case will be referred to the Fines, Penalties and Forfeiture office. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. When they are satisfied with the services, they release the mail, otherwise punishing the criminals. In 2016, the Postal Inspection Service implemented the ANP program, which is an administrative procedure used to detain, document, and process mail packages that are reasonably suspected of containing marijuana from the mailstream. The masks belonged to Ren Quionez, who operates Oakland-based Movement Ink LLC, a small, family-run, social justice-focused screen-printing company. The FBI has the ability to legally track suspects using the information on the outside -- but not the contents -- of any letter sent by USPS. You have to file a claim for the preservation of rights against a seized package if you get advice from an attorney. The employees are well qualified and experienced. If you arent under investigation, then DHL is usually free to tell you what happened and help you find a path to resolution. code or county). If that is the case, then they dont even have to tie the package to an investigation or legal case. Check out some of our latest cases. The letter explained that the packages were seized and searched solely because the external physical characteristics of the parcels were consistent with parcels in other non-related instances that were confirmed to contain nonmailable matter, specifically controlled substances. In other words, USPS said that it was justified in seizing and opening plain brown boxes simply because they resembled packages that in the past contained drugs. This cast a pall of suspicion over Ren and Movement Ink. This is because of a trade embargo imposed on Cuba by the U.S. Seized package by law enforcement from USPS - Legal Answers - Avvo Get in touch with the media contact and take a look at the image resources for the case. Can Police Search Door-to-Door Without Warrants? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. So if you want to learn all about why seized packages happen, then this article is for you. Is Naruto To Boruto: Shinobi Striker Crossplay? There is no requirement to make a statement. I didn't think I would get any of it back. If there is no response after 21 days, packages are declared abandoned and can be opened. Ill break it down by major carriers, but even then, the reason for seizure will matter a lot. Fake postage can stick consumers with headaches, USPS says The head of the agency has appointed them on merit and abilities bases. When Inspection Service personnel do not handle evidence in accordance with policy, there is potential risk of loss and theft of illicit drugs. In the case of option 3, call a lawyer immediately because that kind of contact is the most likely scenario to lead to law enforcement contact and 100% you dont want to talk to the police because lying to the police is against the law in Colorado. Law enforcement may also be allowed to search your mail if there are exigent circumstances. IJ files cutting-edge constitutional cases in state and federal courts to defend the rights of our clients and set legal precedent that protects countless others like them. I felt I had someone very strongly going to bat for me. PDF U.S. POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION - Forfeiture In the context of seized shipping packages, the term seizure refers to the act of physical possession of a shipped item or the transfer of control or custody from the package owner to the state or federal government.