Your attorney can successfully discredit K-9s alert (sniff!) We serve clients throughout California and nationwide facing asset forfeiture. Depending on the nature of the seizure, you might have a long legal battle ahead of you. Each day there are a lot of shipping packages and merchandise that get examined, detained, or are seized by the United States Customs or other law enforcement officers. If further investigation points towards the high likelihood of prohibited or restricted content, it is opened and seized by law enforcement. Residents who receive such callsshouldmake a note of the number and any otherpertinent details about the call, immediately hang up, and report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission online at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. 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. The thing to understand is that not all packages that are seized represent criminal activity. In that version, scammers text returning students to say there's a package waiting for them sometimes claiming it's been waiting since last spring, when many students had to go home from campus quickly. Instead, its the country of origin and the destination that really matter. As a simple example, if you and a friend are both under investigation, then the authorities can seize just about anything you ship to each other, as long as they can justify the suspicion. There have been cases involved with shipping a package through a third-party carrier where unwarranted searches have been conducted. I just received a call from the number 573-361-7637, and it was a robocall that said something along the lines of "This is a call from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Dont hesitate, call us today. Generally, law enforcement officers are trained to work with police K-9 dogs to detect prohibited or restricted contents at private third-party shipping facilities to identify suspicious packages containing drugs or explosives. As a private carrier, FedEx is not nearly as heavily regulated or restricted as USPS. uss canberra crew list. First-class letters and packages are safeguarded against search and seizure under the fourth amendment of the U.S. Constitution as per the United States Postal Investigation Service. I think it is fantastic and it has quietened the phone calls almost to nothing even during the election. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. He went right to work as he is aware of the very strict time limitations set by the government and got me back all of my money--$160,000! Typical Messages voicemail Was to inform you about a package has been seized under your name by u.s. Customs and Border Protection with Contraband of drugs in cash. A package or goods that are prohibited or restricted from importing from a foreign source or one that requires a permit in order to enter the country can be taken (seized) by the United States Customs. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The tricky thing about suspicion is that the authorities really have all of the say here. Secondly, it is crucial on your part to determine if the seizure will be processed by the local, state, or federal government authorities. Asset Forfeiture Attorney has the experience in these cases you are going need and want. Because it is a federal government agency, it is required to follow federal guidelines, which includes the federal government employees working there must have probable cause to search a package for drugs. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A warrant can be issued to the investigators by stating the probable cause of suspicion. If you have a travel document, go see your family!! Lets start by fleshing out package seizure. Reports No reports Add Your Report In both California and Federal courts, you have the right to demand a jury trial to resolve your shipping package seizure case. Our asset forfeiture attorneys are adept with the skills and knowledge required to defend your property seizure and fight back against unfair seizure cases in California and Nationwide. USPS is a federal government agency that offers bulk mail and volume shipping services for small to large businesses. Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. When the money did not arrive at his friends the next day, Mr. Hamer contacted FedEx to inquire about his shipment only to find out his package had been seized in a legal process known as civil asset forfeiture. UPS reserves the right to open and inspect any package deemed suspicious. It is the transfer of control of the shipped item from the owner to the federal or state government. You will be taken care of in the utmost professional manner. I contacted our phone co. (Optimum) and they discovered ALL our calls were being sent to "robo". I had a repeat, press one to speak with CBP officer. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Facebook. In the State of California, as well as in federal courts, you have the right to trial by jury. Somehow got by my spam blocker. An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Cigars are legal in the United States, and you can legally ship them. You need to determine if the seizure is being processed by a federal, state, or local authority. These notices are typically sent out to someone who is an alleged violator with the information on what and where your shipment was seized. The small boxes marked priority mail are the right size to mail cocaine or marijuana. Jacek's knowledge of the forfeiture laws and experience enable him to get the best possible results. The officials can use these reasons to seize a shipped package: A man in Greenville had been trying to return the favor of a friend who had loaned him money when he was at a low point in his life. I got the same call today. "Seized" means it contained something illegal and you (or anyone else) is not going to get it back. UPS can "intercept" a package that they feel is suspicious. In such cases, the prosecution (government) has the burden of proof and is required to prove that the seized package was or could be used in committing a criminal offense, beyond a reasonable doubt (90 percent or more). by obtaining the legal bank statements, withdrawal receipts, and other evidence. Long silences are your indicator that the package might be in the hands of the authorities. You have no control over what another person sends you. FedEx reserves the right to open and inspect any package deemed suspicious. Royal Mail will never ask customers to enter information on a page that isnt part of the Royal Mail website. The attorneys at the firm have been helping clients recover seized assets and forfeited property for both criminal and civil lawsuits. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. that are allegedly being held. Being a federal government agency, it must obey federal guidelines. The number of frustrating robocalls is exploding, but there are more options than Postal Service has its own special squad of postal inspectors and processes for checking packages. You may think you have nothing to hide, but they can use anything you say against you in court as evidence, and they are very good at trying to get you to make the wrong statement. In a broader context, suspicion can be used to seize any package at any time. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Because of that, things work differently. It is vitally important to choose a lawyer who knows the forfeiture laws inside and out and is well-connected. If you get a call stating "a box of drugs and money being shipped has your name on it and it has been intercepted" its a scam. Whether the connection between the criminal activity and the property in question is strong enough is for the court to decide. 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. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. customer has contacted Royal Mail with an enquiry or has signed up for updates from Royal Mail. Best thing I ever did! Congratulations on a great tool for stopping mid-meal, mid-viewing extremely annoying robocalls. However, it is kinda scary to think that scammers are smart enough to get phone numbers from immigrants who are vulnerable and may freak out at the thought of a call from any kind of law enforcement agency. So aslong as you haven't receieved a letter it most likely just had an error in the mail and should still be arriving perfectly. This is more likely to happen at customs than anywhere else, but the idea is pretty easy to follow. When the DEA seized a significant amount of money from my house, I didn't know what to do. Call as early as possible at 888-571-5590 as there are deadlines to meet when dealing with this legal process. I recommend him to anyone needing these services. We are thankful for the concerned residents who have reached out to us with this information so we can inform our family, friends, and community of this criminal intent, said Director of Field Operations Christopher Perry. Then it is likely that a drug dog will examine the package. This doesnt mean that the story is over. Fazekasmatyi1 2 days ago. SCAM ALERT: Callers are now impersonating CBP officers/agents, Man killed in crash at Pima, Craycroft in Tucson, Prolonged rainfall leads to water rescues, road closures, Gas leak causes evacuation at Tucson home, Possible charges in fatal Rust shooting expected to be announced Thursday, Job cuts in tech sector spread, Microsoft lays off 10,000, UPDATE: Road to Mount Lemmon reopens but four-wheel drive or chains required, Human smuggling suspect recaptured after escaping Border Patrol. Seizure refers to the act of physically taking possession of an item that has been shipped rather than giving control of the package to the owner, or person it was being sent to. Since the U.S. This process is used for many terrorist activities, and drug-related crimes but can also include other criminal and civil offenses. The smaller ones are found to weigh as low as 40 kgs. From the beginning of my process of trying to recover my funds which were seized by the DEA, Mr. Lentz was very professional and gave me tremendous guidance during a very frustrating time. Residents are reporting the calls are a pre-recorded message stating, a box of drugs and money being shipped has your (callers) name on it and it has been intercepted. The caller is then instructed to press #1 to speak with a CBP Officer/Agent, which then attempts to get the callers banking information. The Supreme Court has declared youve eliminated your reasonable expectation of privacy by using a third-party carrier. Asset Forfeiture Attorney will help you prepare to obtain your item, and advise you of the process necessary to follow when dealing with the office of Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures (FP&F). Royal Mail will never send an email asking for credit card numbers or other personal or confidential information. Package seizure can get pretty complicated depending on the circumstances. Aware_Refrigerator43 2 days ago. This determination is important as there are specific rules to follow depending on who will handle the seizure process. This can happen for a lot of reasons and end in a lot of different ways. Countries are careful to prevent invasive species, disease vectors, and other problems from crossing a border via agriculture. Stop robocalls with Nomorobo. DHL is subject to the same rules as UPS and FedEx, but DHL internal policy is a little different. According to a news release, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and officers nationwide are continuing to receive numerous calls from residents concerned about unsolicited calls from scammers posing as officials. Packages being shipped can be seized at the port of entry into the United States if they have been illegally transported, or their customs duties are not paid correctly. It's a problem that gets worse every yearbut a new website promises to change all Lentz Law Firm One difference is the Post Office cannot ship ammunition, but carriers such as FedEx or UPS are allowed to send these shipments. These rules are both confusing and complicated. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. You are going to need an attorney who is able to defend your rights in the courts and get your property returned. LockA locked padlock The official looking scam emails claiming to be from Royal Mail contain a link to document which will install malicious software on your computer designed to steal credentials like account names, email addresses and passwords etc. Because there is so much marijuana being mailed out of Colorado that the federal government is unlikely to bring a charge against you. There are some that will move on to the trial procedure. Residents report the calls are a pre-recorded message stating, a box of drugs and money being shipped has your (callers) name on it and it has been intercepted. The caller is then instructed to press #1 to speak with a CBP Officer/Agent, which then attempts to get the callers banking information. Tracking will not tell you if it has been seized, but you would get a letter from customs stating that your package contained illegal items, was seized, but all other legal items were returned to the package. What is the Difference Between Asset Seizure and Asset Forfeiture? When the DEA got a package of marijuana I'd sent through FedEx, the tracking said my package had been confiscated by a gov't agency. It is not marked as damaged (although the contents can be damaged by the seizure process). A Professional theme for architects, construction and interior designers makes no warranties or guarantees of case outcomes. Thanks for posting. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The legal process of getting back your seized shipping packages can be a harrowing one, typically fraught with administrative delays. Even if you arent under investigation, they could conceivably find a reason to seize your package. If you arent under investigation, then DHL is usually free to tell you what happened and help you find a path to resolution. If the package was lost or stolen, UPS would probably tell you. A close inspection deemed your items as counterfeit and the manufacturers have been notified. I didn't think I would get any of it back. 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. If you had had a package seized by a government agency before it even arrived at your home, you need Asset Forfeiture Attorney. We are committed to helping our clients avoid an unjust prosecution at the federal or state level! The female Black jaguars are often considered different from normal jaguars, but they are the same species. Contacting the agency about such a shipment could result in an arrest or investigation as it is illegal to ship drugs through either private or federal carriers. They will then inform a law enforcement agency about their concerns. The form, CBP 6059B, is a warning to inform travelers arriving in the U.S. that importing merchandise into the United States that can infringe intellectual property rights will subject travelers to criminal or civil penalties and can pose serious risks to health and safety. No, the specific meaning of this term is that law enforcement has taken custody of the package. The Department of Homeland Security and CBP do not solicit money over the telephone.