It’s normal for United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to inspect passengers upon arrival, including their belongings. However, you’d certainly hope that they don’t steal from you. Well, that’s exactly what one officer was repeatedly doing at a Florida airport, as flagged by PYOK.
Continue reading: US Customs Officer Pleads Guilty To Stealing Cash From Passengers
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
These modern day highwaymen are operating at US airports with impunity. Look up reports of them forcing pax to allow them to search their bags WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE. They wait until the moment a pax is going to board then threaten them with missing their flight if they don't allow the search. Then they'll seize cash, WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE, and put the burden on pax to prove it's legitimate. DOMESTIC flights too, not all international. They love to target ethnic minorities in ATL, MIA, FLL, etc. Look it up if you dont believe me, google "atlanta airport cash seized without cause"
I’ve been through the process a couple of times (having cash counted by CBP) and when it was done it was done in an area that clearly was being surveilled /monitored - which makes this all the more stupid.
I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen more. CBP agents are by and large rude, condescending, and seem to have a disdain for the traveling public. That doesn't instill faith, to me at least, that they're necessarily inclined to do the right thing.
I would say that this is lower risk than one might suspect. I think that this is much more common than people assume, and that very few get caught. I've seen more than a few bad apples at US border crossings, and I have seen officers abuse their authority at Mexican land crossings like San Ysidro and acting with complete impunity. There is clearly a culture problem at CBP and I think that is the result of the low accountability in that organization because people are very reluctant to go to higher authorities for fear of making their own lives difficult.
Most crime by nature is high risk, low reward due to the laws and draconian punishments we mete out in the US. Drug addicts are given harsh sentences instead of rehabilitative services.
Only time this doesn't apply is if you're rich and powerful, then you can get away with anything
Stealing from someone from the Bahamas or from a tax haven shouldn't constitute as theft. Most of the people arriving from these destinations are by and large stealing from the general public already so he's just taking his money back.
I think besides the possible consequences listed he should have to pay extra to those that suffered and pay for their collection expenses.
Criminals like that, who breach the trust given to them as public officials, should be sentenced to life in prison and be done with them. We simply don't need those kind of people walking on the face of the Earth.
Give him the 10 plus 10 yrs probation.
Post on YouTube for Deterrence
Meanwhile, my son is laughing at this piker, stealing 20k, my son doesn't get out of bed for stealing less than 1M per incident! Ha ha, remember hunter,
10% to the Big Guy
Don’t understand why is was allowed to resign, only executives get that benefit. He should have been fired,
We only know of the ones he admitted to!! Just think of how many didn't report an incident with this agent for they didn't want to bring attention to themselves.
As any good defense lawyer tells his client, "Keep Your Mouth Shut!!!".