Zilla
Newbie
Reged: 11/12/03
Posts: 48
|
|
I had a very small order of Tylenol 4 shipped from California that went out last Saturday. (10 days ago). This is a very reliable source and they would never screw me over, I firmly believe that they shipped when they said they did. The package never showed up in my PO box. I am assuming now that it is never going to show up because it does not take a very small padded envelope 10+ days to come from 2 states away. If the mail delivery people confinscated it, do they have to tell me? If it was turned over to the police or something, wouldn't they have notified me by now? Do they have to contact me to tell me they kept some of my mail? What's the system like with mail shipped from inside the US? Is there some type of "internal customs" or something? I am really pissed and disappointed and worried.
|
dman22
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/01/04
Posts: 264
Loc: Everywhere
|
|
Depends on the courier. The USPS has the postal police and yes they are an official law enforcement agency, however, these guys usually are busy watching people in the bulk mail centers for theft and advising on mail scams.
|
hibbs
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 236
|
 Re: Question about mail sent from inside the US [Re: dman22]
#168883 - 06/15/04 11:50 AM Attachment (45 downloads)
|
 Edit |
 Reply |
 Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
If by chance the FDA/DEA got the package it make take some time before you receive an notification of seizure. I would call/email the co. you ordered from and see what might have happened.
--------------------
"Blues are rescue lines that pull you ashore when stranded in the middle of this ocean we call life. Grab ahold and feel em! they will bring you back home." Jimmy D. Lane
|
Zilla
Newbie
Reged: 11/12/03
Posts: 48
|
|
But do you really think the DEA would bother to take a little tiny package of 25 T4's?? If the people at my local post office were suspicious of my mail, could they confinscate it and open it? And if so, do they have to notify me? Because I haven't heard anything, not a word. I emailed the sender and they don't have a clue as to what could have happened to it. It's like my package just vanished into thin air.
|
PIGINPAIN
Journeyman
Reged: 06/10/04
Posts: 85
|
|
Search of US Mail, that is sent to and originates from the US, would require a search warrant unless you are on the terrorist watch list, which I HIGHLY doubt from your posting. The following is NOT poking fun at anyone. It is a realistic worst case chain of events that would have to happen and intended to put people at ease. I appologize if I offend.
Let's play "What is the WORST case scenerio." The package was inadvertantly ripped open during delivery AND a postal employee "USPS" noticed the contents AND USPS identified the contents of the package as c-III or suspicious AND USPS contacted the authorities AND the authorities not only took the time to verify that the pills were not prescribed to you, but they also went back to the source and obtained an admission and proof that you ordered them in violation of federal law AND (this is the big one) the LE agency who did that investigation is able to find a US Attorney, because these are federal charges, who is not seriously overworked OR incompetent OR one that you dated and dumped in high school with a grudge AND that US Attorney convinces a federal magistrate to issue an arrest warrant AND a federal LE agency in your area decides that they will put together a six person crew (minimum for an "unknown" target) to come out to your house to do a controlled delivery THEN you are really in trouble and should immediately run out your front door with your hands up.
Even LE feels a little paranoid when we do something that is in a gray area, trust me. USPS losses packages all the time and mail is stolen more frequently. USPS employees have learned that medicine, cash, and other goodies are mailed and they can/do steal this stuff figuring that no one will complain because of the gray area contents. I have also had beaten up, muddy, ugly packages show up a month late.
Good luck
|
dman22
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/01/04
Posts: 264
Loc: Everywhere
|
|
Well.. heh.. if the postal police did get wind of it, they won't make any appointments or send you letters - they'll be paying you a visit with local LE. I took a tour of a BMC once and was shown their area of confiscated items - everything ranging from packets of blood? to large trees? to everything else under the sun that either couldn't be delivered or was some type of contraband. The guide told me they also intercepted 3 bombs during his 10 year tenure. I think they too (postal police) have a lot on their plate right now too, like the DEA.
Additionally, the sorting centers have enclosed catwalks overhead - with one-way mirrored windows encompassing the entire sorting area to discourage theft. That's where the postal police keep watch on the sorters when necessary I suppose.
|
tb1218
Member
Reged: 09/19/02
Posts: 171
Loc: indiana
|
|
But it is also possible that it is just delayed (sort of lost) in the mail and may still arrive. My daughter lives in the same state, 3 hours away and I sent her a package for Easter and it took 12 days to get there. I had requested confirmation of delivery ticket so I could track it and it was hung up in Cinncinati Ohio for a week and thats not the state we live in. There's no figuring the post office service, I have had letters lost to never be found as well. So dont panic just yet, even worst case scenario, the amount you ordered seems too trivial to bother with.
|
oldnavy170
Board Addict
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 357
Loc: New York
|
|
If it was sent by parcel post instead of priority mail then it can take up to 2 weeks to get a package.
|
johnnypuke
Stranger
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 17
Loc: southeast
|
|
We also lost a day of mail service last week with Reagan's funeral, so that sort of puts everything a day behind. I would not assume the worst at this point.
|
Billyl
Board Addict
Reged: 06/14/02
Posts: 389
Loc: NorthEast
|
|
It would be far more simple to arrest on a local charge such as receiving medication without a prescription. If the envelope did not have the proper prescription label that would be enough. There might be DEA involvement but they would probably be part of a local narcotics task force. I do agree US atty's and a federal judge might not have the time to make an example out of a 25 pill order, but local LE does work through local intra agency groups to direct the flow in a case like this (assuming there even is one).
In all likelyhood the package was stolen or lost.
Take care. Billylll
|
PIGINPAIN
Journeyman
Reged: 06/10/04
Posts: 85
|
|
Billyl- Several good points. I guess I overlooked the local LE aspect because the local LE still has to get around two issues.
1)How did the search occur-plain view if opened or warrant/exigent circumstances if searched.
2)How to establish the intent of recipient on a specific intent crime like receiving controlled substance.
In the three counties I have worked in, one VERY large and two small, we had trouble finding DA's who would file charges on less than a gram of meth, until the recent federal meth operation.
But, you are correct that local LE could make a play.
|
Billyl
Board Addict
Reged: 06/14/02
Posts: 389
Loc: NorthEast
|
|
Local police departments that I worked with loved these kinds of cases (they didn't have much to do otherwise ie: traffic and domestics). If the envelope was torn that would be considered plain site, then the package would be resealed and a delivery attempt would be made. Another excuse could be that the envelope was suspicious and contained a powdery substance on the outside (crushed pill syndrome and LE thinking it was Anthrax). The Postal Inspectors have rules and a proceedure governing this. The State I am in loves cases like this and they are heard at the county level (prosecutors office) but can have charges reduced right to the municipality where the end user resides. Assuming as it appears in this example that there is no intent to distribute.
Intent to receive would be obvious after the controlled delivery.
Take care. Billylll
|
caramello51
Board Addict
Reged: 09/28/02
Posts: 311
Loc: Alaska
|
|
i worked for the Post Office in the 60's. i hate to say it, but there was a lot of theft going on, by the workers. maybe percentage wise it wasn't that great, but it did go on. after working there i am constantly grateful when something i mail does reach it's destination. and also stuff just gets lost... somebody drops it, walks over it, etc. it ends up in Nixie.
--------------------
|
PIGINPAIN
Journeyman
Reged: 06/10/04
Posts: 85
|
|
In your jurisdiction is possession a general intent or specific intent crime? Just curious. In CA it is specific, but in IN it was general. That and the judges here are soooo cynical that if we tried to convince them that the package opened without our help they would probably lock us up for contempt...
|
SillyWilly
Stranger
Reged: 05/06/04
Posts: 12
|
|
On the same note, I dont think parcels sent in the Unites States is put through a "customs" type procedure. In other words, unless you already have flag on you, they are not going to scrutinize a package that is being sent from within the US. Atleast thats what I think. Im not positive but I dont think there are dogs and X-ray machines at the post office that examine the packages being delivered. Ive never heard of anybody get in trouble from sending Best if kept off the board within the US unless stuff is falling out of it. Does anybody else know what kind of procedure packages are sent through?
Thanks, Sillywilly
|
Billyl
Board Addict
Reged: 06/14/02
Posts: 389
Loc: NorthEast
|
|
The mail sorting facility is where most packages are now screened not at the local PO. Take care. Billylll
|
Billyl
Board Addict
Reged: 06/14/02
Posts: 389
Loc: NorthEast
|
|
As in mens rea?
|
drewsmerdel
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/14/01
Posts: 1137
Loc: Nap Town
|
|
Im sorry but I believe they do x-ray or in some way inspect state to state parcels. I ship alot to a sister In Texas, never a problem. I shipped her a hand made wind chime(s), that could have looked alot like several pipe bombs on a scan. Anyway, sis got the parcel, but it was rewraped, and she said they only thing out of its wrapper, or rewarped paper were the wind chimes, that were originally packed in the center of the box.
Drew
--------------------
Are you hungry?
Are you sick?
Are you begging for a break?
Are you sweet?
Are you fresh?
Are you strung up by the wrists?
|
PIGINPAIN
Journeyman
Reged: 06/10/04
Posts: 85
|
|
They just announced yesterday that they are scraping the plan to x-ray all packages being shipped on U.S. passenger flights. The post 9/11 law called for it to begin 7/1/04 (?) but they now say that only 2-3% will be X-ray'ed. They will also only X-ray packages that come from sources "unknown" to the U.S. Govt. So much for national security.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
