Imagine working for your entire life and possibly saving up $40,000 or $50,000, only to have the government wrongfully confiscate it from you one day, leaving you with the responsibility of having to prove and fight for your own innocence and having to demonstrate that all the funds were legitimate before you could get them back.
That is what happened to one 64 year old man, R. Kazazi, who had over $57,000 taken from him last year when he was at the airport, planning to leave for a trip back to his home country Albania. And it's happened to many other innocent Americans, who have had their rights violated when they have had their property confiscated from them unjustly.
Kazazi was never charged with any crime.
Yet, he had been victimized to the tune of almost $60,000 and has been engaged in a legal fight with the government ever since, trying to get back what is rightfully his.
The bench trial for his case had been scheduled to take place in December but now they've reached a settlement and it's reported that the government has returned an additional $385 to Kazazi, which is about half of what he had been claiming that he was still owed.
Like Kazazi, there are many innocent people who have been victimized by the unnecessarily broad and unchecked power that this controversial legislation seemingly affords law enforcement agents around the country.
As a result of the continued abuse nationwide, you can find various efforts taking place that have sought to push-back against, to reform, and to question the need for civil asset forfeiture.
Pics:
pixabay
pic 2-me.me
