Originally Posted by
tsadude1
It's a requirement for us to report it and a requirement for someone else to investigate. Could we ignore it, probably. Has it been a requirement since TSA took over from the private screeners? yes.
This is a substantial revelation and one that I don't think has come out before.
It seems you're saying it's a
requirement (i.e., part of the SOP) that you report someone carrying a large amount of cash to "someone else" (be it within TSA or a LEO). Not an option or up to screener judgment, but a requirement. Correct?
As others have said, that is a perfectly legal activity. There's a big difference between reporting drugs you see (controversial, but at least illegal), and reporting someone who is not carrying contraband.
What's the threshold? Wad of cash 2 inches thick? Cash found "artfully concealed" in somewhere other than a wallet? A pair of hundred dollar bills?
Law enforcement and prosecutors also have an annoying tendency to assume anyone carrying lots of cash is a bad guy, and there are a number of unfortunate asset seizure/forfeiture laws relating to that. But the difference is that if I'm carrying lots of cash but otherwise not doing anything wrong, it's extremely unlikely I'm going to get searched by a LEO. (what with the 4th amendment and all)
On the other hand, TSA has their lovely "consensual," "administrative" searches (that you can't back out of
) that travelers are essentially forced to submit to. TSA seems to think it is within their right to paw through wallets, envelopes, etc. even if those have already cleared a WTMD or x-ray, giving them access to the cash carried. So anyone who gets any sort of secondary search has a good chance of TSA finding their cash, and apparently then reporting them.
This is absolutely disgusting. The USA is really going down the tubes thanks to DHS/TSA.