Faces of the Drug War: Woman Carrying $47K in Bra at Airport Sues

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MicroBalrog

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Woman Carrying $47K in Bra at Airport Sues

Thu Jun 23, 4:48 PM ET

BOSTON - A Quincy woman who apparently stuffed $46,950 in cash in her bra before trying to board a plane to Texas for plastic surgery has sued a federal agency, demanding the return of her money.

The money was seized from Ileana Valdez, 26, after a security check at a metal detector at Logan International Airport on Feb. 3. Valdez told authorities she was heading to Texas for plastic surgery on her buttocks and breasts.

"I don't know why she was carrying it (the cash) in her bra," said Boston lawyer Tony V. Blaize, who filed the suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Boston on behalf of Valdez.

In her suit, Valdez said a male Drug Enforcement Administration agent told her she had a nice body and didn't need surgery — and then seized the cash, claiming it was drug money.

Valdez, a single mother said in her suit that she has no criminal record and earned the money by selling her Dorchester business and two parcels of property in Boston's Jamaica Plain section.

Anthony Pettigrew, a spokesman for the DEA in Boston, said he could not comment on the lawsuit. But he said federal asset forfeiture laws allow agents to seize suspected drug
 
Couple things wrong here, starting with her selling her business and land to get plastic surgery :confused:

I'd probably be pissed if someone confiscated $50,000 from me, but then again, I don't think I'd be dumb enough to carry that much around. I don't see how they can justify a large amount of money as drug money.
 
Couple things wrong here, starting with her selling her business and land to get plastic surgery
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Why? Because you wouldn't do it? It's not our concern or the government's concern what she does with her business and her money.
 
Carrying cash is illegal in this country don't you know? Cash and coffee cans and all sorts of things.

I remember a black person got money stolen from him by the DEA and I think it took two years to get it back. Of course there was no evidence, no trial, no drugs, just the DEA being every branch of the justice system all rolled into one!
 
> why would you put all that money in your bra tho?.....

She wanted to know what she'd look like after the surgery. :p
 
I new an African businessman who always carried $250,000 with him when he was in the US...he did not feel that it was safe when OUTSIDE his possession!
(I guess with corrupt Govts and banks there....)
 
Hmmmm... this woman must have been prodigiously endowed, to hide nearly $50,000 in her cleavage. Anyone get her telephone number? :D

Seriously, it may sound unusual, but I don't think it's eccentric - that's a lot of cash to carry on your person, so I wouldn't be real comfortable about having it in an obvious place like wallet or purse either... so hide it - hmmm, $50,000??? Can't put it in my moneybelt, or my socks... *looks down* hmmmm! :D
 
I cannot comment on the intelligence of carrying wads of cash in your bra, but since when is it illegal to do so? What amount classifies you as a drug dealer or mule when there is no other evidence present?

Many people from other cultures carry large amounts of cash on their person. In other cultures jewelry is used as much for currency as adornment. If the lady chose to put only $20,000 in her bra would she be free to pass? $10,000? $500? Or was it perhaps a name like Ileana Valdez that tipped off these agents? A person with a hispanic name and lots of money hidden in a bra has to be a drug lord, right?

Someone is wrong here, and it isn't the woman carrying the money in her bra.
 
Many people from other cultures carry large amounts of cash on their person.
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Yes, and they also keep it at home, or convert it into some other form that may be kept at home and is more difficult to remove. I know in the former Soviet Union, since the fall of the Communist governments, a transition to an orderly democratic and Capitalistic system has not really occurred. Corruption in both business and government are now rampant. As a result, banks cannot be trusted. One of the more blatant scams is where a bank will offer very tempting interest rates, vacuum up large amounts of deposits, then just fold, and dissappear. :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
In Manhattan many of the Orthodox Jews that deal in diamonds carry unbelievable sums of cash every day . Unless these people can determine how much is "too much" it is not legal . The banks have a $10,000 limit before reporting .Under that you are "just doing business".The dollar figure is set out for all to know .
 
It's not uncommon for fur traders in South Louisiana to carry $30-40,000 in cash, along with a trusty sidearm.

edited to add: this is something I read a few years back, and do not remember the source. I cannot verify it, but I do not doubt it either.
 
Why? Because you wouldn't do it? It's not our concern or the government's concern what she does with her business and her money.
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I guess that wasn't really what I meant, but selling off your livelihood for cosmetic surgery just seems a little out there, to me anyways.
 
Isn't there something on the airlines about not being able to have more than 10 grand in cash on you? Or is that only for international flights with customs?

Does seem screwy that she sold land and business interests just for a bigger chest.

Maybe she thinks she's going to make a fortune in films or something?

Whatever...still think it's wrong for the gov't to take the money from her.
 
In the neighborhood??

I may be drifting off the focus of the thread "a bit" but just to pour kerosene on the fire...

when in the academy, we were watching a "training film" with real dea agents doing the job in an airport. I am not kidding. They would approach a person, introduce, badge them, etc. then ask to look in the bag. When a person refused, they would take them to some little concrete room, surround them with agents, while their bag was searched without their consent. Here I am fresh out of college, but I'm not completely stupid. I ask my instructor, um, isn't that a violation of the 4th amendment. To which my instructor replies: :rolleyes:

So needless to say not surprised to hear of this.
 
Seems like another in a series of 'We'll confiscate that because were the Government' stories. Take my house, take my land, take my money, take my kids...time to change folks.

Re. $48,000 in bra.....musta been DD series bills. :)
 
”The usual road to slavery is that first they take away your guns, then they take away your property, then last of all they tell you to shut up and say you are enjoying it.” – James A. Donald
 
I work with bills on a daily basis. Let me just say that $50,000 is a big bundle to be stuffing in your bra, and there is no way to get it to look natural. Even if it was all hundreds, you'd have a serious wad sticking out of your sweater.

Something just doesn't add up. I'm calling BS on this one.
 
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