r/nextfuckinglevel • u/bendubberley_ • 1d ago

A police officer in Mexico prevents someone's suicide attempt, on a bridge, with no safety equipment.

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u/ChooChoo9321 1d ago

Was there a few weeks ago. Some corrupt Mexican police officers robbed me while frisking me on the street

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u/Dry_Presentation_197 1d ago

Cops in the US do this too, civil forfeiture. Maybe not necessarily >while frisking< someone, but its literally a process where even if a person is not being charged with any crime, anything they own can be taken by police and never given back. The most common tactic literally is just extortion. They'll pull someone over, claim they smell weed or alcohol or whatever, illegally search the car and anything that "could" be linked to crime can be taken. Including jewelry and cash. They have the person sign a waiver saying "I agree to never contest this asset seizure, in exchange for not being charged with a crime." And are told by the cops that if they don't sign, they're going to prison and will have their kids taken away.

It's been happening more and more in the last 40yrs, going from just under $100m seized in 1987 (adjusted), to $2.5 billion in 2013. Another $20billion since then.

They even have it set up so they don't ever have to show evidence you did anything wrong. They file a lawsuit AGAINST THE PIECE OF PROPERTY, which has no constitutional rights, therefore presumption of innocence doesn't apply and it's up to the victim to prove the item/s in question weren't used for criminal activity. Which ofc, is impossible.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_forfeiture_in_the_United_States

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/12/taken

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u/ProtectionLeast6783 1d ago

Civil forfeiture sucks ass but its not robbery, the person that it happens to can get their cash reimbursed if they establish a paper trail.

It's obviously a huge inconvenience because you have to go through the legal process but in countries where the cops just outright rob you there's no recourse, the person that takes it just stuffs it into their pocket.

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u/Dry_Presentation_197 1d ago

Nah, it's robbery. The link I provided has several points about it, and there's plenty more on Google. Why do you think they coerce/threaten people into signing shit saying they won't contest it?

AND "prove cash wasn't used in a crime" is literally impossible. The "legal process" for this specifically is "guilty until proven innocent", and it's impossible to prove that cash was not used in a crime.