DEA steals $23k from man, demands that he prove it isn't drug money

Prieto told the officer he didn’t have any needles but did have $23,700.

Officers took the money and turned it over to the DEA. DEA agents photographed and fingerprinted Prieto over his objections, then released him without charging him with anything.

DEA agents told Prieto he would receive a notice of federal proceedings to permanently forfeit the money within 30 days and that to get it back, he’d have to prove it was his and did not come from illegal drug sales.

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Yet another abuse of power by the federal government.

Innocent until proven guilty? Not anymore.

I had the same thing happen to me about 12 years ago. I was on my way to buy a used truck that was advertised in the paper. Seller said he wanted cash and I had the amount in savings so I withdrew it and headed over to his place. Got pulled over for some minor traffic violation, car was (illegally) searched and the big wad of cash discovered. I was told that "only drug dealers have that kind of money on them". I responded by saying, "so crime DOES pay?" My cash was confiscated and I was arrested. Not charged with anything, just arrested. When I bonded out, I went to the truck seller and got a notarized statement from him confirming my story and did eventually get my cash back but by then it was a moot issue. Guy had sold the truck to someone else and the bond had eaten up my cash anyway. No reimbursement from the thieving cops, no apology, nothing. I hired a lawyer who told me, "You have a good case, Ms. ____, how much justice can you afford?" (verbatim quote, btw.) I let it go and moved from that town. Authority figures are getting so pervasively corrupt that we're running out of places to move to.