Law enforcement requests for postal info granted

[SomeGuy]

An official heads up that they DO track mailing address's with warrantless requests from LEO.

Also states that WARRANTS ARE REQUIRED TO OPEN packages which I believe I've seen info to the contrary posted here though I didn't go looking.

Interesting too that the article said that private carriers are not subject to the surveillance.

Heres the link and the article.

USA Today

By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — U.S. postal authorities have approved more than 10,000 law enforcement requests to record names, addresses and other information from the outside of letters and packages of suspected criminals every year since 1998, according to U.S. Postal Inspection Service data.

In each of those years, officials approved more than 97% of requests to record the information during criminal inquiries. In 2004, 2005 and 2006, the most recent year provided, officials granted at least 99.5% of requests, according to partial responses to inquiries filed by USA TODAY under the Freedom of Information Act.

Postal officials have closely guarded the warrantless surveillance mail program, used for decades to track fugitives and to interrupt the delivery of illegal drugs or other controlled substances such as explosives. In other government surveillance, such as most wiretap programs, a judge approves requests. In this one, the USPIS' chief inspector has authority to grant or deny a request.

The Postal Service handles 214 billion pieces of mail each year. Correspondence and packages transported by private carriers, such as FedEx and UPS, are not subject to the surveillance.

When the government's warrantless surveillance of electronic communication has come under fire, civil liberties advocates say, the USPIS' limited disclosure raises serious questions. "The idea of the government tracking that amount of mail is quite alarming," says Jameel Jaffer, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's national security project. "When you realize that (the figure) does not include national security matters, the numbers are even more alarming."

Postal officials would not disclose the volume of mail monitored in national security investigations. Because those include terror-related inquiries, the figures do not show whether the Sept. 11 attacks influenced requests or approvals.

In a Feb. 8 response to requests for information, inspection service counsel Anthony Alverno wrote that even revealing the frequency of the surveillance would undermine its effectiveness "to the detriment of the government's national security interests."

Postal officials also would not discuss how much mail is being opened for content examinations, which do require a warrant authorized by a judge.

USPIS spokesman Douglas Bem described the surveillance program as "one of many tools" available to investigators. "Regulations are in place that serve to protect the general population from illegal and unlawful intrusions," Bem says. A 1978 federal appeals court decision upheld the use of such surveillance.

Each request to monitor a sender's mail can cover multiple letters and packages by the same suspects. Bem said the government does not track the total pieces of mail captured in the monitoring program.

 

[Ph33 ALI3N]

Good looks. Was just about to post this here. F USPS, go with the private mail couriers

 

[GeorgeSmiley]

Does anybody have any info about busts resulting from this practice?

 

[twojoints]

they didnt say they were opeining these packages. this sounds like to me theyre just using the names on the box to track fugitives and the like. same thing theyre doing with cell phones... i mean EVERYONE who has a cell phone is on some big government GPS map thats being updated by the second... so why is this a big deal?

 

[la resistance]

it's a big deal because if you get one letter of seeds or other contraband confiscated, they can look back in records and see if you received other packages from the same address. that is IF they record all mail, which would be kinda complicated

 

[SomeGuy]

they didnt say they were opeining these packages. this sounds like to me theyre just using the names on the box to track fugitives and the like. same thing theyre doing with cell phones... i mean EVERYONE who has a cell phone is on some big government GPS map thats being updated by the second... so why is this a big deal?

I see it as a big deal because its more info that LEO can get on you just for the asking.

Say you buy garden supplies and they ship by post and for whatever reason they start tracking your mail and then, every shipment that comes from a garden supply can be used as evidence against you and they didn't even need a warrant to start collecting this evidence.

I personally see it as an erosion of my constitutional right to privacy, not really a big deal now, but could be a big deal later down the road. I'm tired of seeing people gladly hand away their rights and mine along with them and when I object, them telling me "what have you got to hide anyway?"
My answer? None of your f*cking business and I plan to keep it that way!

I'm tired of being treated as a 2nd class citizen, simply because I prefer illegal cannabis to legal alcohol. Damn! I'm almost 50 years old and I've been forced to hide this for over 35 years!

Sorry for the rant.

 

[river rat01]

who's dumb enough to put their real name on the outside of the envelope anyway?

yay for fed ex!!!

 

[twojoints]

I see it as a big deal because its more info that LEO can get on you just for the asking.

Say you buy garden supplies and they ship by post and for whatever reason they start tracking your mail and then, every shipment that comes from a garden supply can be used as evidence against you and they didn't even need a warrant to start collecting this evidence.

I personally see it as an erosion of my constitutional right to privacy, not really a big deal now, but could be a big deal later down the road. I'm tired of seeing people gladly hand away their rights and mine along with them and when I object, them telling me "what have you got to hide anyway?"
My answer? None of your f*cking business and I plan to keep it that way!

I'm tired of being treated as a 2nd class citizen, simply because I prefer illegal cannabis to legal alcohol. Damn! I'm almost 50 years old and I've been forced to hide this for over 35 years!

Sorry for the rant.

rant is valid.

but, in a sadder honesty, this is america 2008. there is no constitutional rights and every single one of the citizens is guilty until proven or paid innocent. having friends in high places helps too. if you were stupid enough to be born into a poor family and you bust your ass off 80 hours a week for $12 an hour, then youre just stupid and you owe your soul to the government. thank you and may i have another before i say good day?

sorry for the extended rant.

 

[Guest]

I personally see it as an erosion of my constitutional right to privacy

News flash bro, its 2008, there is no such this as constitutional rights.

 

[SomeGuy]

News flash bro, its 2008, there is no such this as constitutional rights.

To say we have no constitutional rights is a bit of a stretch. I've been places where that was the case for the average citizen. Places where simple possession could land you 10 years mandatory with no plea bargain and no parole.

I think its more of a case where we have do have certain rights, if we can afford to hire someone to defend them for us.

 

[river rat01]

yep, justice is expensive.

 

[twojoints]

YEAH- AFFORD TO HIRE someone to get us 'free'. my lawyer just cost $1500 for the lowest felony charge. figure someone who works for minimum wage.. ah hell someone who makes $10 lets say.... that leaves about $50 to spend on extras a month (which is now lawyer money) so that is 30 months of your life you will have no extra freedoms because your paying for a bum law.

free country? my ass

 

[Guest]

If they look at whats written on the outside of the envelope or package, my as well write something just for the cops!

 

[Guest]

To say we have no constitutional rights is a bit of a stretch. I've been places where that was the case for the average citizen. Places where simple possession could land you 10 years mandatory with no plea bargain and no parole.

I think its more of a case where we have do have certain rights, if we can afford to hire someone to defend them for us.

See the Patriot Act.

 

[SomeGuy]

See the Patriot Act.

I know all about that and am definitely not a fan. Its sucks and so does FISA and the feds blatant abuse of it.

I'm just saying, I've been in countries where its A LOT worse than it is here and for them its S.O.P. Places where "bail money" wasn't even part of the vocabulary.