Pubdate: Thu, 09 Mar 2006
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)
Section: Pg B6, Suburbs - Metropolitan Area News In Brief
Copyright: 2006 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/340
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)

APPEALS COURT: CASH WITH DRUG RESIDUE CAN BE SEIZED

Harrisburg - Cash with far-higher-than-normal trace levels of cocaine 
can be seized as illegal drug proceeds if found in vehicles pulled 
over for speeding, Commonwealth Court ruled yesterday.

The 4-3 ruling concerned the seizure of $451,000 during separate 
vehicle stops in Somerset and Cumberland Counties by state police on 
the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 2002 and 2004 in which no drugs or 
paraphernalia were found and no criminal charges were filed.

The majority opinion by Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt said the amount of 
money, the way it was bundled, the amount of drug residue found on 
the bills, and suspicions about the stories told by the vehicle 
occupants all helped link the money to drug trafficking.

A dissenting judge, Rochelle S. Friedman, called the ion-scan test 
used to detect cocaine traces on the bills "nothing more than junk 
science" as it was performed in the two cases.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman