> This is SO wrong!
>
> http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/12/1296.asp

1.    It's almost certain that there was a drug crime involved.

2.    This will send a strong message to others in similar 
circumstances.

3.    This will set legal precedence for future seizures making drug 
related arrests easier.

BUT

4.    I agree with Dave.

This is in clear violation of an individuals right and ability in  a 
free society to simply get on with life.
Where a situation exists that could have arisen by legal or illegal 
means and there is no way of proving which means were used then the 
law should have to leave things alone. The alternative is unthinkable 
in a free society. Sooner than you would believe $100k becomes $50k 
becomes $10k and in not too long the few odd thousand dollars of 
pocket change (I should be so lucky) becomes fair target. As bad, and 
possibly worse, is that such a curve will also drive expectations and 
behaviours in other areas. The destruction of "innocent until proven 
guilty" will spread outside the courts themselves into the policing 
forces and into societal expectations and acceptabilities. The 
destruction of this cornerstone of British Justice (tm) is one of a 
very few steps on the path to tyranny and near complete loss of 
freedom. A look (here we go again) at the changes in Germany in a 10 
year period from the late 1920s shows what can be achieved when 
might-is-right and 'for the good of the state' is allowed to subvert 
due process and the rule of law. Stay tuned.

All that said, I really hope that it WAS in fact drug money and that 
the immense focus that this is liable to bring on the guys affairs 
quite coincidentally show some chink which proves to be his undoing. 
There too there is a very great chance for justice to be subverted - 
ie investigation in one area should not justify attempts to 'dig up 
dirt' in unrelated areas - and it may be that the maintenance of 
freedom for all demands that one more murderous scumbag be allowed to 
go free :-).



        Russell




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