Feds suing Union Pacific, alleging pot found in rail cars

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Omaha World Herald

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is suing Union Pacific, seeking more than $37 million in penalties for allegedly allowing rail cars to be used to smuggle drugs across the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

The Justice Department claims that on 37 occasions from November 2001 until October 2006, Customs and Border Protection officers found a total of more than two tons of marijuana on Union Pacific rail cars coming into the U.S.

The government wants $33.6 million in penalties for those incidents.

Another lawsuit said 17 kilograms of cocaine were found behind a false wall on a rail car in 2003. That suit seeks $4.1 million.



Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10589798

[MindPilot]

1. I think suing is bullshit

The company is either a victim or negligent. Either they were understaffed or employees under-trained that they failed to inspect properly or someone who was supposed to be inspecting for whatever reason turned a blind eye.

Launch an investigation and based on the evidence you find charge somebody with a fucking crime. Or not. Lazy fucks would rather just sue the company.

Full disclosure: That rant is based on the OP only; I have not read the article.

[KamaAina]

2. "Driving that train, high on cocaine,

Casey Jones, you better watch your speed!"

[Dappleganger]

4. Now we know the real story behind the little engine that could...

smoke himself up high over the mountain. :D

[bluesmail]

3. More money to fight the deficit that * and you know who left us with.

...and that no one is above the law.

[ixion]

5. End the 'drug war' and the problem is solved

but hey, why do something rational. :eyes:

[paulk]

6. It's kind of funny

back when I worked for the Union Pacific, my fellow workers and I had arrived at the conclusion that the only way the quantities of pot that were coming into the States could be coming in was by rail.

The Fed releases it's yearly confiscation numbers and what percentage it is of the estimated amount - so the math is there for whoever wants to figure it out. Huge, huge quantities are coming in - and the most obvious way that quantities like that could be moved is by railcar. I'm surprised it's taken the government this long to figure out.

Actually I'm not surprised, considering how much money the U.P. contributes to the RNC.

[defendandprotect]

9. Enlightening . . . and believable .. .

Imagine what's going on with trucks . . . ???

If the drug war goes on, everyone will be in prison and there'll be a checkpoint

every two blocks!!

The Justice Department said it will seek more than $37 million in penalties, claiming that on more than 30 occasions from November 2001 until October 2006, Customs and Border Protection officers found marijuana on Union Pacific trains coming into the United States. It also said officers found 17 kilograms of cocaine behind a false wall on a rail car in 2003.

In July 2008, Union Pacific sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in U.S. District Court in Omaha, asking for an order blocking nearly identical fines levied by the Customs department.

The Omaha-based railroad will continue to fight the allegations, spokeswoman Donna Kush said.

The railroad has argued that the drugs were planted in Mexico, where the company did not control the cars and couldn’t guard or inspect them.

"As the Union Pacific explained in its Nebraska lawsuit, it is the government, not Union Pacific, that takes initial control of railcars into the U.S. from Mexico," Kush said.

30 occasions . . !!! 5X a year . . .

"Planted in Mexico" ---

On the other hand, none of this could go on without total corruption of government,

our officials and law enforcement!

[ellisD]

7. Might as well sue Mexico too

if they have some kind of proof that Union Pacific conspired to help smugglers evade detection and somehow get a kick back, well ok then maybe there's a case.

But to sue UP for actions of others they were unaware of and didn't have the resources to reasonably inspect for is just insane. By that logic we should also sue the entire country of Mexico for letting drugs into our country!

[Kali]

8. um who's job is inspecting border crossing trains?