That reminds me of two of my trips to the US.

One was to Chicago and we were travelling in a group of four.
Three of us were in their early/mid twenties with long hair and one was about 40 and wearing a suit. It's not hard to guess which three were selected for a "random" search at customs.

The other one was to San Diego via Atlanta and on the way back from Las Vegas via Atlanta. So I had to go through security four times on that one trip. Every single time I was "randomly" selected for an additional security check. The fourth time I told them something like "random my a**". I was then told if I even complain in any way they simply won't let me board the plane because they don't need any reason for refusing me to allow to boarding and they can do pretty much whatever they like.

ABUSIVE POWER

Just to clarify, in case someone already hasn't:

TSA is different from US customs and other federal agencies. TSA screeners need only a high school education and receive barebones training considering the job they've been hired to perform.

US customs agents (for example, the guys in the uniforms who check your passport at JFK when you're coming in from a foreign country) are federal agents, and are quite different from your TSA baggage screener (TSA are not police-lots just wish they were). The custom agents are employed by the same agency that has the guys at the border crossings- many of the agents have worked both in their career. They make significantly more money than TSA and have loads more authority and power. They can make arrests and you do not want to mouth off to them. Same advice for any legit DEA/FBI/ATF patrolling the airport, obviously.

This solution also requires the mental discipline to switch from one computer to another for different tasks, which many (most) people probably lack.

Any updates, viffer?

\

U SPELLED FEDERAL WRONG...............ZING!!!!!!!!

rigged

This class action lawsuit against Texas search and seizure tactics seems relevant. Obviously OP wasn't racially profiled, but he was profiled in other ways. If the cops lose this lawsuit, somebody's definitely going to file against the DEA.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/cri...ng.lawsuit.cnn

It's legal to profile you any way the authorities want to. The law only says the ways in which you CANNOT be profiled: race, gender, religion, etc.

Everything else is fair game, including criminal record.

Profiling is a secondary issue here. The main issue is the blatant abuse of the search and seizure provisions of the law. The authorities can just say, "Hmmm... you have a several thousand dollars on you, therefore I suspect that you are money laundering, which gives me the right to confiscate all your cash and valuables. Give me all your stuff and sign here, or face criminal charges."

If you watch the video to the end, you'll see that it's really not about the profiling, it's about legal muggings. After all, the video's title on the CNN home page is "Cops robbing motorists, lawsuit alleges." What happened to the OP in the airport was a robbery, plain and simple. The robbers just happened to have DEA badges.

update

my lawyer in detroit picked up my stuff today, they gave me a check insterad of cash and the amount of 12400 wich is a lil short of what i had but i did get my watch and braclet back.

some bull**** about suspision of drug dealing and bm they took my stuff had to prove where money came from and stuff real head ake

Over/Under on how much you would have gotten back had there not been this thread and the widespread interest that it created?

Anyways, sounds like you just got yourself some decent hooker spending money. I recommend you stay away from those trashy ones you've talked about in the past...

delecto? I somehow doubt the authorities have been monitoring this thread.

The story had spread to other websites. I don't know if it got mainstream media attention.

Consider the heat they've taken for years over raiding California medical marijuana facilities. Do you really think they care about twoplustwo outrage over a poker player having 12k and a Rolex seized?

I thought they gave you a receipt when they took your belongings. So they gave you less cash than was on the receipt? Strange, glad it sort of worked out in the end.

Is it just me who doesn't have much sympathy for young, brash poker players who think that having won some thousands or a couple of million bucks even, is enough reason to carry cash in bags, flaunt that new Rolex they bought, and act like they got a right to do whatever they want?

I do have sympathy for OP btw, and think he handled the case well after the airport incident.

But come on, this is 2009 who needs a $50K Rolex.. I'd rather spend that money on a car or something else instead.. on our laptops phones etc we can all see the clock so why do we even need a watch like that to attract attention. Also to other younger, say 21yo's who went deep in some tournament and loves flaunting that money, you know the type that talks loud at every tournament on the circuit as if they're this or that... well you are NOTHING, you have not completed your education, you have made FAR LESS money than some legit entrepreneurs in their mid to late 20s have and they did it the good ol' fashioned way. You dont contribute to society you just act like an a$$ as if you mean sh*t, so therefore, OF COURSE the DEA/police/customs/what-have-you will not waste their chance to screw you, it's not EVEN about the war on drugs, but it's more like the "War On Young Tryhard-Rich Douchebaggerry".

So, next time any of you makes a big cash in a tournament or is traveling to some highstakes cash game, how about try using the service that's been around for more than a century.. yes... BANKS!!!! Deposit that money in a national/internationally recognized bank account of yours, when you arrive, take that money out. That's ALL you need to do! There's Bank of America branches in every city in America! Citibank branches in every major city in every major country in the world. Or... you could put the money in traveler's checks and not declare. But you dont need to use it to buy a Rolex, a couple of gold chains, and stash the rest of them in big wads inside your carry-on bag... because if you do, don't blame anyone else but yourself if you get flagged and searched and lose what you got!

And no I'm not some old bitter losing poker player jealous of some people's wealth(I'm youngish myself, beat this game decently, and would never ever flaunt my wealth or carry much more than $1-2K through customs), I just think poker players give themselves too much credit and think the world ought to respect them, when in fact the world thinks of us as NOTHING. It's not like you're Bill fkn Gates so you can carry a few million, if he does, and not get harassed. You are a poker player, big deal, in the real world that sounds just like you are a drug dealer, because a lot of people think oh you got all this money from poker? Yeah right, you must deal drugs.

And, oh, bottomline is, when you flaunt wealth(which real wealthy people don't do, just the pretentious, not-very-rich-but-think-they-are-rich people do), then someone's gonna get you. If it's not the DEA it'd be some dude following you from a cafe and robbing you in the street, or someone breaking into your house, the IRS, or some woman who deliberately falls while walking past your house and sues you for having an unsafe driveway or whatever. I think of the cops as no different to the rest of 'em. Don't let anyone know you got money, dont wear jewellery(what does that do except to tell the world that you are a loser anyway), dont fly first class when you dont have to, dont carry thousands of dollars everytime you go out, etc etc. You'll have a much bigger chance of keeping all the money you make if you do that.

Mid 40s?

Doubt it

Because that's a sign of being a rich arrogant douchebag. LOL

If that's how well you "read" people then you must suck at poker.

I see a lot of ******ed posts on this board but this is probably in the top five all-time.

I agree that flaunting wealth is not only very tasteless but stupid as well.

How bad do you suck at life? The reason people should make money is to improve their lives (flying first class, having nice things, etc). Maybe when you finally become good enough at poker to carry more than 1 or 2k at a time you will realize what a huge pain in the ass banks are to deal with. What business is it of yours, or of some low rent DEA agent what kind of watch a guy wants to wear... Just to let you know even in this economy it isn't cool to be poor, have fun in coach with the rest of the middle/low class losers.

FTR it's people like you who I was referring to in the other thread regarding the redistribution of wealth. Having a lot of money doesn't make you better than others, especially inherited wealth.

Not sure which post is worse. Probably the second one though. Especially because of his last sentence.

So everytime you fly you spend a few extra thousand dollars in first class and call that "life improvement" while I can either choose to put that money into my bankroll, or better yet, spend it on girls, nightclubs, going out, fine dining, clothes, electronics, all of which over a month probably add up to the extra money that you pay for a couple of hours on a plane with more legroom. I think I know whose life is "improved" more than the other for the same money spent.

So poker skills is determined by how much cash you carry on you? I didn't know that.

Banks will give me the money in my account without making it disappear. It's just a procedure that takes a few minutes of my time... but hey I guess maybe you find banks such a pain because of the attitude you have??

I never said it's my business, but you sure sound super-sensitive over some nameless dude on the Internet who says that he chooses not to spend money on a Rolex or personal jewellery... let me guess, is it because you feel that's a direct attack on your personal self-worth if people don't judge you by what you wear?

In the meantime, while you're flashing wealth in any way possible while living in fear of getting robbed on the street, having money confiscated by DEA, and screwed over by every "low class loser" who's "out to get you", I am happy living life knowing that I mix in with everyone else just fine, Mr. Life-Improvement.

So you think the majority of population, ie middle/"low" class, are losers? That kind of mentality sure makes you a big winner in life indeed.

A lot less than you do, judging by your post.

I agree with this, but fish2shark's post is still horrible (and by extension, yours is too). You missed the reason why.

PS: making a distinction between inherited wealth and other wealth, ESPECIALLY in this thread where clearly nobody is talking about any sort of inheritance, is a big douchebag tell IMO)