‘We want cash’ Drug agents seize $209mn in random profiling of 5,200 travelers

There's virtually no chance, with this much shady money getting confiscated, that some fraction isn't getting skimmed off the top into the pockets of the individual, relatively lowly paid, officers. It's inevitable, even if you had the most incorruptible individuals imaginable, the temptation is too great.

The United States has fast become the land where a wall informed individual should never set foot, if he/she values his/her belongings, freedom and life.

John Oliver did a story on something very similar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEpZWGgJks

It's long been known by people who play the drug game that the authorities only care about lining their own pockets.

This is an anecdotal story, but could be "New Yorker level" vetted if someone tried.

About 20 years ago my friend John was living in Salt Lake City, Utah -- where he grew up -- and had rented a house in CA for the sole purpose of growing pot in. He spent almost 5 years bringing about 50-100lbs of high potency pot into Utah in his Prius 2-3 times per month, making countless trips back and forth, before his first contact with the authorities.

They pulled him over about a block away from his house and told him they had been watching him and knew what he had in the car -- about 50lbs of pot in duffel bags. He was arrested and charged with... wait for it... failing to pay taxes on the marijuana. He was out of jail within 6 hours.

His lawyer told him he had three choices: pay the taxes, to the tune of about $350k, or fight it, or plead guilty. He wrote a check for $350k and never heard from the authorities again. He continued to do this for another 10 years and was never bothered again. Strictly pot.

You may wonder how he was able to write that check without raising eyebrows. A few of his clients were business owners who had him on the payroll (taxes and all) to pay for their regular supply of pot. Plus he was "an independent artist" and filed 1099-Ts every quarter via his accountant. Through these methods he made plenty of money on paper, and obviously lived very cheaply (in an apartment). He has still never had a real job and retired at 35, with no record what so ever.