research question: what supposedly happens to money seized in a drug bust?

[Javaman]

either on a local level or national level?

Mucho thanks in advance.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Locally, seized money becomes the property of the district's drug task force. They split it among

all the law agencies participating in the task force.

[Jed Dilligan]

2. So some of it ends up in the pockets of the cops themselves.

I always figured.

[elehhhhna]

3. That, and the sale of several "confiscated" autos, sent our old

neighbor, a DEA agent, to the Federal pen for a long, long time. His wife wasn't toooo upset, though, b/c they'd stashed a LOT of that cash, and he got out, eventually.

[Jed Dilligan]

4. I mean legitimately

Seized money goes to task force, task force gives cops bonuses.

Of course they also steal... I used to work with some guys who would party with mountains of coke--way more than they could afford normally. I'm talking close encounters, mashed potato pile size mounds of coke on the cutting board in the kitchen. Turned out it came from the evidence room.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. No, it goes to operating expenses. Maybe, some would go out as bonus money, but I haven't read about

that happening.

[lurky]

5. IIRC, it goes into the department funds,

so they can use it to buy new cruisers, pay OT, etc.

[High Plains]

7. Each state has different rules, and there are federal rules, too.

Many states require that seized cash or goods go to the general fund.

Others designate some portion of it to the arresting/seizing agency.

The feds usually split it with the arresting agency. Oftimes, state and local law enforcement agencies will hand the goodies over to the feds because that way the local cops get some of it.

It's a fucking racket. Just like the rest of the drug war.

[Disturbed]

8. Keeping certain drugs illegal maintains the profits for

the dealers & law enforcement.

[wintersoulja]

9. It disappears from the evidence room.

just like the drugs.

[sarcasmo]

10. Arresting officers skim a little of the top and the rest goes back into the police vault to bribe

Informants, and Politicians, and Lawyers, oh wait I am thinking of what a lobbyist would do with the money.