How a Dog Named Brutus Was Used to Steal $36,000

For the egregious crime of being in the right lane at the wrong time, a driver was pulled over in Lowndes County, Georgia. Thanks to the heroic efforts of one Georgia State Police dog, and his faithful officer, a major threat to the people of Georgia is off the streets.

The responding police dog, Brutus, made a major bust. The vehicle was transporting $36,000 of cash; an imminent danger to Georgians across the state.

The cash may have eluded officers if not for the quick thinking of Brutus. He sat down next to the car to let officers know the money was being stored in a speaker inside the vehicle. The officer was quick to confiscate the cash, take a picture of it for social media, and let the driver go.

Wait, the police let the driver get away? Yes, they did. The driver was not charged an actual crime, and no one was arrested during the “major bust” that took place. The driver’s only crime was carrying cash.

Under Georgia’s criminal code officers can take property from any citizen they suspect may be part of a criminal enterprise. In this case, the only hunch officers had of criminal activity was Brutus the dog taking a seat.

The police took more than half of the state’s median yearly income from someone because a dog sat next to their car. If you think this is a horrific injustice, you should feel relieved to know the overwhelming majority of Americans agree with you.

www.zerohedge.com...

Civil asset forfeiture are disgusting. Commit even a small crime, and the police can take your car and other property.

But the idea of merely carrying a large sum of money means that you are suspicious and the police can confiscate that money is even more ridiculous.

I have heard cases where people have been crossing state lines to by a car with a large amount of cash, and it was deemed suspicious and taken from them. As with the case in the article, no charges of a crime need to be filed.

I respect the police and think most of them do a great job. But draconian laws like this need to be eliminated. This is clearly not designed to be justice, but a money making scheme for the departments.

The vehicle was transporting $36,000 of cash; an imminent danger to Georgians across the state.

How the fu*** is money seen as an "imminent danger"??? How ridiculous does that sound? WOW!!!

It is like Big Brother not wanting you to carry cash around because he cannot trace you unless you used plastic cards!

However, this could have been drug money, illegally obtained...

Just like shooting my dog, stealing my money would have caused me to commit a crime.

Sorry, just being honest.

a reply to: Grambler

Unreal. I no longer recognize this country. So the person has not been charged with anything, broke no laws, and was let go, but the money was STOLEN from him??? W...T....F

Not saying this person was totally on the up and up, but damn, what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty.

It appears our money and property are guilty until proven innocent. I have said before, and will say again here, this opioid crisis is going to lead to an even further erosion of our freedoms from government overreach.

Maybe this is just one of the tools to push America more towards a cashless society....

Just think of the control they will have then.

originally posted by: GuidedKill
Maybe this is just one of the tools to push America more towards a cashless society....

Just think of the control they will have then.

Have cash? Arrest on sight, confiscate and burn the money.

Don't give them any ideas.

a reply to: Grambler

I did a no no many years back ... I wanted to buy a motorcycle (VMax) and a car ( 1967 Camero SS) Fired up my 1972 Chev 1/2 ton and grabbed a stash of cash (62,000) and headed south from Canada . Bought the bike and the car and came back home . Oh and spent some time in Virginia Beach ...All went well but it goes to show that Luck matters .

Better to let 100 drug dealers keep their money than to wrongfully take the money of one innocent person.

That person has the right to go to court and get their $36,000 back.
It's just that the cops think that a criminal wouldn't be able to prove that the money was legit.

However, if that person was going to Florida to buy a car and wanted to hide the cash to keep it "safe" then they should be able to prove that in court and get their money back. Right??

originally posted by: EmmanuelGoldstein
That person has the right to go to court and get their $36,000 back.
It's just that the cops think that a criminal wouldn't be able to prove that the money was legit.

However, if that person was going to Florida to buy a car and wanted to hide the cash to keep it "safe" then they should be able to prove that in court and get their money back. Right??

Yeah, they should be able to prove it. The question is, i think, is why should they have to prove it in the first place.

I can go to court and prove I am not a criminal, but if there is no charge, as there was no charge here, why should I have too?

originally posted by: underwerks
Better to let 100 drug dealers keep their money than to wrongfully take the money of one innocent person.

100% agree

a reply to: Grambler

If you let the cops take 36k from you must've been doing something illegal Why not get arrested and take it to court

originally posted by: omniEther
a reply to: Grambler

If you let the cops take 36k from you must've been doing something illegal Why not get arrested and take it to court

Point is, why should it even come to that. Why should a person have to prove their money is theirs? It isn't like he had 10 million in the trunk.

I understand your point though. If that were me and they tried to take my money, I would be losing my mind on them.

originally posted by: underwerks
Better to let 100 drug dealers keep their money than to wrongfully take the money of one innocent person.

we often disagree but I am 100 percent with you here.

Innocent until proven guilty.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

However, if that person was going to Florida to buy a car and wanted to hide the cash to keep it "safe" then they should be able to prove that in court and get their money back. Right??

Cant speak for crossing State lines but in Canada you are not allowed to buy any alcohol (beer ,wine ,booz) and transport it across Provincial borders . just saying

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist
It appears our money and property are guilty until proven innocent. I have said before, and will say again here, this opioid crisis is going to lead to an even further erosion of our freedoms from government overreach.

Correct, it's convenient for law enforcement. Even the very person who came up with the idea of innocent until proven guilty used asset forfeiture.

Police always have the out of cash testing positive for drug residue.
That's all they need to legally steal your cash.
IDC who it is I wouldn't let anyone steal that much from me that way.

originally posted by: 200Plus
Just like shooting my dog, stealing my money would have caused me to commit a crime.

Sorry, just being honest.

Cops shoot fleeing robbers in the back all the time.
Would that be any different?

cops shoot Australian women who call for help .
They kill people sitting cuffed against a wall they kill people just by bashing there heads into the cement seats in jail house .
My guess your odds of being killed are nearly the same with a cop as with a criminal etehr is to be Considered Armed and Dangress !