Well, not all LE do seizures. All money taken as evidence for my agency when I was a fed went directly back to the owner at the end of the investigation or directly back to the treasury department if shown to derive from something like drug deals or fencing etc. We returned all other types of evidence back to owners or destroyed it depending on the circumstances and legal advise. all evidence including money had documented disposition based off of legal advice. the JA had to approve it and sometimes even the judge depending on the evidence. Nothing went to DRMO to be sold for reclamation.

Every penny of our salary and expenses was supported solely through your tax dollars, and we were paid and supported well.

Besides, everyone drives around with $20k cash in the spare tire in the trunk. Nothing suspicious about that at all.

Were there follow-up investigations into the suspicious activities with these money seizures? If so, where did they lead and what was the resolution of the investigations? Is there any viable intel from the seizures leading to impact to known drug cartels? Was any of the intel from seizures actionable or utilized by secondary police forces, local in other jurisdictions or federally? Just how many actual seizures were fought in court and found to be erroneous? What were the standard amounts for seizure vs 'have a nice day'? Lots of unanswered questions in that amazing piece of journalism.