Kleptocracy: government by theft
Ever since the American people let their government formaldehyde the Fourth Amendment two decades ago (What? You didn't know?), it has been legal for police agencies to take our property with no other explanation than if we can prove that it was NOT the proceeds of a crime, we can petition for its (partial) return. They don't have to proof we were involved in a crime. They don't have to prove there WAS a crime. We have to demonstate a lawful source of our assets. Until such time, they keep the property.
In the overwhelming majority of instances, there is no parallel prosecution. There is only the _ex cathedra_ (meaning "without support") assertion. And the assertion, in the eyes of our turncoat courts, stands as its own proof.
The primary Constitutional function of the judiciary is to protect us, the people, from precisely this kind of government treachery. In the two decades that these "civil forfeiture" statutes have been with us, the courts have more than turned their backs; they have taken sides against us.
This works because the lumpkins of this land (yes, unfortunately, I do mean you, dear reader) are functionally ignorant of the laws in effect (until, of course, their own stuff is stolen) or too apathetic to do anything about it.
A minimal amount of time with a search engine will teach you all you need to know about civil forfeiture. The problem is getting anyone to do anything about it. Everyone in the executive branch feels, abuses schmabuses, we like it and we're keeping it and its proceeds. A few in the legislature suggest milque toast "reforms". The only acceptable reform is total rescission. But I can't find anyone interested.
Any reader out there know something I don't?