A leading economist has expressed deep concern over America’s soaring trillion national debt, warning of no significant efforts to mitigate it. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic suggests a potential easing of policy rates by summer. Ex-IMF Chief Economist Voices Concern Over Soaring U.S. Debt Olivier Blanchard, a senior fellow at […]
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Report Exposes Warrantless Cash Searches at Atlanta Airport
In a startling investigation report, Atlanta News First uncovered the concerning practices of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force officers. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, DEA officers, in plain clothes, have been found searching passengers’ carry-ons without warrants and seizing large sums of cash without making arrests. The report and attorneys say the practice raises constitutional and privacy concerns among American citizens.
Plainclothes Cash Hunts at Airports
Atlanta News First recently shadowed DEA task force officers at Hartsfield-Jackson, observing them as they discreetly moved from gate to gate. Passengers were searched right after scanning their boarding passes, often without any clear indication of the officers’ actual identity or purpose.
Film director Tabari Sturdivant recounted his unsettling experience. Mistaking a DEA agent for a Delta representative due to displayed airport credentials, he said, “He just approached me, and he asked me for my ID. He didn’t state who he was. He just asked me for ID, and I thought he was a Delta agent. He had airport credentials on, and so I gave it to him immediately.”
The filmmaker noted that the DEA agents didn’t find anything suspicious but asked him:
Are you high? Have you smoked? Do you have any drugs in this bag? Do you have any money?
Warrantless searches and seizures directly violate the Fourth Amendment, which is aimed at safeguarding American citizens from such unreasonable intrusions. The report notes that these actions by DEA agents not only infringe on personal freedoms but also erode the public’s trust in law enforcement agencies.
This isn’t the first episode of the DEA and law enforcement authorities unlawfully seizing individuals’ assets. Take, for example, the DEA’s extensive track record of orchestrating “cold consent encounters” at Amtrak stations, mirroring their tactics at airports. In 2021, FBI agents confiscated million from safety deposit boxes in Beverly Hills, a move attorneys decried as lacking proper justification.
A report by Reason reveals that, over the past decade, law enforcement, with the DEA at the forefront, has seized a staggering billion in cash. Data from the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) indicates that about 65,000 cash seizures, representing 81%, were subjected to administrative forfeiture by the DEA, amounting to .2 billion.
Atlanta News First highlights that film director Sturdivant represents just a fraction of those scrutinized for cash by undercover officers at the airport. The investigative piece also points a finger at Clayton County narcotics officers. The news team found “several similar cases where officers with the DEA task force or Clayton County Police searched innocent people or seized money without making any arrests.”
In 2023, carrying significant cash amounts is increasingly viewed with suspicion, even if earned rightfully with proven receipts. Constitutionalists and lawyers insist that law enforcement’s propensity to outright confiscate these life savings, without just cause, is a disturbing trend.
What do you think about the report about the Atlanta airport searches? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.
Hackers Target Atlanta Government Computers, Bitcoin Ransom Demanded
A group of hackers are demanding payment in Bitcoin to unlock computer systems they were able infiltrate in Atlanta. Yesterday’s ransomware attack targeted computers in important government departments. Data stored on the affected systems has been digitally encrypted.
Another Case of Bitcoin Ransomware
The security breach was first reported via a statement by the city on Thursday morning. The following was later posted to Atlanta’s official Twitter account:
The City of Atlanta is currently experiencing outages on various customer facing applications, including some that customers may use to pay bills or access court-related information. We will post any updates as we receive them. pic.twitter.com/kc51rojhBl
— City of Atlanta, GA (@Cityofatlanta) March 22, 2018
According to local news source 11 Alive, the hackers are demanding a ransom of ,800 be paid for each affected computer system. A screen shot sent to the publication from an employee of the city shows that the entire cost will be ,000. This is to be paid in Bitcoin. Andrew Green, a security expert and professor at Kennesaw State University, is reported to be analysing the document. If the hackers receive said bounty, they will apparently decrypt the data that has been compromised.
The mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, made an official announcement regarding the hacking yesterday afternoon. She stated in an impromptu press conference that the full gravity of the attack was unknown at present. She also offered a warning to anyone who had business or consumer relationships with city departments. She said:
“We don’t know the extent or if anyone’s personal data or bank accounts will be compromised… All of us are subject to this attack.”
Despite the extent of the security breach being unknown at present, Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer, Richard Cox claimed that water, public safety, and airport operations were not affected. He continued:
“City payroll has not been affected and we have not determined that City Hall will need to be closed on Friday.”
There have been no further updates from government officials on the situation since.
According to 11 Alive, officials will be working with security experts from a variety of companies, as well as specialists from federal and local government departments to discover any evidence that might relate to the incident. These include the FBI, the US Department of Homeland Security, Cisco, and Microsoft. They hope that together they’ll be able to work out a solution or at least who is responsible for the attack.
Whilst Fortune are calling this hack “one of the boldest ransomware attacks to date”, it’s certainly not the first time computer systems have been frozen and payment demanded in Bitcoin to unlock them. Last year, we reported on the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack that affected computers across the planet. This was later connected to the North Korean government.
The post Hackers Target Atlanta Government Computers, Bitcoin Ransom Demanded appeared first on NewsBTC.
Action Packed Weekend of Major League Soccer Ahead as Atlanta United Wrap up the Sunday Roster, FC Dallas at Home in Major Clash, Orlando City Looking to Upset DC United
Following an exciting Sunday of MLS soccer showcased last weekend where 12 goals were scored…nThe post Action Packed Weekend of Major League Soccer Ahead as Atlanta United Wrap up the Sunday Roster, FC Dallas at Home in Major Clash, Orlando City Looking to Upset DC United appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.n
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