“OIG Investigators found that the DEA paid one airline employee tens of thousands of dollars over the past several years in proceeds from cash seized as a result of their tips. However, the vast majority of those airport seizures aren’t accompanied by criminal prosecutions. This has led to years of complaints from civil liberties groups that the DEA is abusing civil asset forfeiture—a practice that allows police to seize cash and other property suspected of being connected to criminal activity such as drug trafficking, even if the owner is never arrested or charged with a crime.”

  • spongebue@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 hours ago

    And yet, here I am in the western world still hearing about how I need crypto.

    I understand Internet access is way more prevalent in poorer places now than it was, but it’s still not something to take for granted in places that largely work with physical cash. Certainly not if you’re going to base your economy on such a thing.

    • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      4 hours ago

      While internet access is undoubtedly helpful, it is not totally required. I have seen people create physical bills and coins that have those scratch off things like you might find on an Amazon gift card you buy from the store. So you know as long as it has not been scratched off that the money is actually on the card itself.

      • spongebue@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 hour ago

        All this conversation and still no reason that crypto would benefit me and other typical people in the western world.

        But we seem to agree it would benefit you, likely also in the western world, if I and others like me were to adopt it. Funny that.