By Rick Collins, J.D.
Seizure Notices

What do you do if you’re one of the unlucky ones, and the Postal Inspector or Customs identifies an international package addressed to you as containing a controlled substance and seizes it? Maybe it leaked or smelled funny or otherwise looked suspicious. Maybe they x-rayed it, and saw the pills and ampoules. Now they have two options. They can either confiscate your package or they can deliver it under controlled circumstances in order to arrest you. If they choose to confiscate, they will let you know that they have the item by sending you a letter. This correspondence, commonly called a seizure notice or seizure letter, informs you that the feds have the package. The letter advises you of your rights and remedies to challenge the seizure and try to claim the parcel [for a sample letter, see Legal Muscle].

You can, of course, challenge the seizure. However, unless you have a lawful basis for possessing the controlled substances, such as a valid prescription, you won’t get far. In fact, your attempts to claim the package may backfire. Identifying yourself to the U.S. Attorney as the person who ordered the juice and intended to receive it could quite probably get you busted.

You can accept the confiscation and forfeiture by checking the box on the form, signing the form, and mailing it back. Or, instead, you can do nothing. The notice will generally provide that if you simply ignore it, they will proceed with administrative proceedings to forfeit the property anyway. After 20 days, you will have forfeited any interests you may have had in the parcel. You won’t get it back. Then again, you also won’t be volunteering to be busted or signing anything it might be better not to have on record. The majority of people who call me to report that their packages were seized don’t sign or return the letter, and it’s often the last they hear of it (although on rare occasions they will get a follow-up phone call for law enforcement) … until the next package. A government record is made of every seizure. In some cases, federal authorities can place a watch on your address or flag your name for future deliveries.

Rick Collins, J.D., a veteran lawyer and former competitive bodybuilder, is the author of the groundbreaking new book LEGAL MUSCLE: Anabolics in America, available through this site. [© Rick Collins, 2003. All rights reserved. For informational purposes only, not to be construed as legal advice.]