textfiles-politics/pythonCode/personTestingOutput/post22.xml

<xml><p>MAIL SURVEILLANCE

COPYRIGHT (C) 1991 BY FULL DISCLOSURE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In Full Disclosure #21 information was provided on "mail covers'' where
information on the outside of mail is recorded and provided to law
enforcement and/or intelligence agencies. That article prompted questions by
readers about when the post office might actually open mail and examine its
contents. This article will explore an actual case where mail was opened and
overview the postal procedure for mail openings in drug related cases.

Full Disclosure was able to obtain copies of documents filed in the federal
court in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> on February 2, 1990 that provide the following
description of the mail opening program:

"The <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> Division of the U.S. <ent type='ORG'>Postal Inspection</ent> Service has implemented
an <ent type='ORG'>Express Mail Profile</ent> program at <ent type='ORG'>the Air Mail Facility</ent> (AMF) at <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>
O'Hare International Airport This program consists of a physical profile of
<ent type='ORG'>Express Mail</ent> parcels which have been mailed to or from locations within the
Northern District of <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent>. Targets were cities and/or areas of the United
States which have been identified by <ent type='ORG'>law enforcement</ent> as being source areas
for the distribution of narcotics, and/or controlled substances.''

The package in this particular case had a return address in <ent type='GPE'>Evanston</ent>,
<ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent>, delivery address in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> (the same name on both), and a post
mark in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>. However, another case that was reviewed showed the
return address and postmark to correspond. The physical appearance in both
cases were rather generic (according to the descriptions offered in the court
files)

W. Earnst <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> of <ent type='ORG'>the Postal Inspection Service</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> said in an
interview that this program was not ongoing but rather goes into effect
whenever they get information from other agencies that indicate a suspicious
package is on the way. For example, if a <ent type='ORG'>DEA</ent> agent observes a suspected drug
dealer mail a package, the description of that package would be passed on and
packages fitting that description would be selected for further review.

<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent>' description of the program was that the <ent type='ORG'>Postal Inspection</ent> service
would receive a tip from another agency that a suspicious package was on the
way. They would then be looking for it at the O'Hare Air Mail Facility.

"One of the things we look for is fictitious return addresses'' said <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent>.
He didn't think there was a problem with it taking too much time to do this
type of checking.

After packages have been selected by their physical description, they are
subjected to drug sniffing dogs or machines. The dog test consists of several
similar packages being put in separate nylon sacks and if the dog bites and
scratches at the nylon sack with the suspect parcel, a search warrant is
sought.

<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> indicated that the mail is not significantly delayed. Since most mail
arrives very early in the morning they have plenty of time to examine it
prior to the necessary delivery time later in the day. He also said that they
will get a magistrate up in the middle of the night to issue a search warrant.

Upon receipt of the search warrant, the package is opened and inspected for
contraband. <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> said that normally, the package will then be sealed back up
and delivered by a postal inspector who will arrest the recipient after they
accept the package.

What if a warrant is issued and the package does not contain contraband?
<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> was unsure, stating that as far as he knew they had a "100% success
rate'' on finding contraband in parcels opened pursuant to a search warrant.
However, he offered to find out what the procedure would be if the package
didn't contain contraband.

<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> findings were that there has been "no incident like that in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>.''
However, when it has happened in other locations that have put a copy of the
search warrant in the package and had it delivered normally. <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> cautioned,
however that it wasn't necessary standard procedure to do that, only that it
had been done in some cases.

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