Drug Money

At least 75 percent of all currency in the Los Angeles area is contaminated with drugs, especially powdered cocaine, according to evidence presented in a federal court case. The case centers around a Los Angeles man who was carrying $30,060 in cash in his car — to a business meeting, he said. But police charged it was profits from drug trafficking when a police dog alerted that the bills had drugs on them. Although a search of the man and his car found no drugs, the cash was seized as evidence. But a forensic toxicologist testified that most money in the L.A. area contains traces of drugs — as much as a milligram per bill. The San Francisco Federal Appeals Court noted that this was enough for a police dog to detect, and ruled the presence of drugs on the cash was not enough evidence to connect the money with a drug crime. Charges against the businessman have been dropped, but “I won’t feel I’ve won till I got my money in my hands,” he said. (Los Angeles Times) ...No wonder I go all numb when I spend large amounts of money.