Cash seizure from customers during a raid at local convenience / game room because they were told it was suspected of being used in a crime. Is that

[quincy]

Yes I did. Is it legal for the police to be taking the customers money

The answer is "it depends."

You have not provided enough facts to tell if the what the police did in taking customers' money was legal.

If a customer walked into a gas station to pay for gas or walked into a convenience store to buy snacks, the police cannot just take that customer's money.

But I suspect that the customers who had money confiscated were at the gas station or convenience store for an illegal purpose, hence the misdemeanor charges. How the confiscated money plays into these charges is a question mark.

Again, try to find an attorney in your area who can offer you a low or no cost opinion.

 

[LdiJ]

What info do you need . The police have been doing raids on these places for years now. They come in arrest the clerk & owner & give citations for class C misdemeanors to the customers and take every ones money. Some even get there car impounded.

So, are you saying that someone could get paid on a Friday, cash their paycheck and have cash, then go to a gas station to fill up their car, and have the cops raid the gas station and take their pay? Without them having anything to do with the gambling machines?

 

[Zigner]

Yes I did. Is it legal for the police to be taking the customers money

Have YOU had your money taken?

 

[Just Blue]

Aren't you guy's kinda sick of playing the Dental Game?

 

[quincy]

Aren't you guy's kinda sick of playing the Dental Game?

I think that onedid is a frequent visitor to this site, posting here under a different username.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

So, are you saying that someone could get paid on a Friday, cash their paycheck and have cash, then go to a gas station to fill up their car, and have the cops raid the gas station and take their pay? Without them having anything to do with the gambling machines?

Stranger things have happened.

Search for "civil forfeiture" for some of the abuses that have gone on.

 

[Just Blue]

I think that onedid is a frequent visitor to this site, posting here under a different username.

No! Really??!!

 

[Taxing Matters]

Search for "civil forfeiture" for some of the abuses that have gone on.

Exactly. That's why I have for years advocated for reforms to civil forfeiture laws either to eliminate them entirely (which is my preferred solution) or short of that to significantly reform to narrow when they apply, put the burden on the government to justify the forfeiture and require that to be proven with clear and convincing evidence, prohibit forfeitures that would greatly exceed whatever the maximum fine or restitution would be, and very importantly prohibit the agency that does the seizure from being able to use the seized assets or get the cash from them. The assets should go to the general treasury instead. Texas had a bill last session that would have completely eliminated civil forfeiture; it's a shame it did not pass.

 

[quincy]

No! Really??!!

Haha. Either that or onedid can find a friend in another visiting "did" who, like onedid, is also trying to clean up Texas, one area of corruption at a time.