(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice has directed the Drug Enforcement Administration to cease consensual searches at airports and other public transportation facilities following hearings about possible civil rights violations.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced the suspension after hearing concerns about the DEA's traffic interdiction operations, including conducting consensual searches.
During such searches, DEA's Special Investigations Group may approach people at the airport and ask for their consent to speak with them, if the Special Agent or Task Force personnel determines that doing so is warranted. Ask for consent to search the person's belongings.
The act sparked civil rights concerns after video of one raid was released.
Horowitz said the DEA did not follow its own policies regarding these searches, which often included seizing cash. Such seizures place the onus on the traveler to prove that the money is not from drug trafficking and get it back.
Horowitz said the DEA pledged in 2015 to record consensual contacts but has not followed through on that policy.
The Office of Inspector General also announced that the DEA has discontinued transportation interdiction training in 2023. The newspaper said such training is required by DEA policy and has not yet resumed. memo.
The warning came after an investigation earlier this year involving a traveler who was approached by DEA special agents about a consensual encounter while boarding a plane.
The act sparked civil rights concerns after video of one raid was released.
Horowitz said the DEA did not follow its own policies regarding these searches, which often included seizing cash. Such seizures place the onus on the traveler to prove that the money is not from drug trafficking and get it back.
Horowitz said the DEA pledged in 2015 to record consensual contacts but has not followed through on that policy.
The Office of Inspector General also announced that the DEA has discontinued transportation interdiction training in 2023. The newspaper said such training is required by DEA policy and has not yet resumed. memo.
The warning came after an investigation earlier this year involving a traveler who was approached by DEA special agents about a consensual encounter while boarding a plane.
OIG concluded that continuing such investigations could “compromise the Department's asset forfeiture and seizure activities.”
“Due to the lack of appropriate policies, guidance, training, data collection, and other critical controls, the DEA creates a significant risk that DEA special agents and special agents will improperly conduct these activities. imposes an undue burden on innocent travelers and violates their legal rights; jeopardizes the Department's asset forfeiture and seizure operations; wastes law enforcement resources on ineffective interdiction efforts; .”
The Deputy Attorney General told the DEA that “[t]he investigation is related to an ongoing preliminary investigation involving one or more identified targets or criminal networks, or as authorized by the DEA administrator based on exigent circumstances. “All consensual encounters on public transport, except for those on public transport, are suspended.” ”
