2023-04-24 14:37:38 -04:00
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<xml><p>MAIL SURVEILLANCE
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COPYRIGHT (C) 1991 BY FULL DISCLOSURE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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In Full Disclosure #21 information was provided on "mail covers'' where
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information on the outside of mail is recorded and provided to law
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enforcement and/or intelligence agencies. That article prompted questions by
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readers about when the post office might actually open mail and examine its
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contents. This article will explore an actual case where mail was opened and
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overview the postal procedure for mail openings in drug related cases.
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Full Disclosure was able to obtain copies of documents filed in the federal
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court in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> on February 2, 1990 that provide the following
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description of the mail opening program:
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"The <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> Division of the U.S. <ent type='ORG'>Postal Inspection</ent> Service has implemented
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2023-04-27 00:54:09 -04:00
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an <ent type='ORG'>Express Mail</ent> Profile program at <ent type='ORG'>the Air Mail Facility</ent> (AMF) at <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>
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O'Hare International Airport This program consists of a physical profile of
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<ent type='ORG'>Express Mail</ent> parcels which have been mailed to or from locations within the
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<ent type='PERSON'>Northern</ent> District of <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent>. Targets were cities and/or areas of <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent>
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States which have been identified by law enforcement as being source areas
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for the distribution of narcotics, and/or controlled substances.''
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The package in this particular case had a return address in <ent type='GPE'>Evanston</ent>,
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<ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent>, delivery address in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent> (the same name on both), and a post
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mark in <ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>. However, another case that was reviewed showed the
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return address and postmark to correspond. The physical appearance in both
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cases were rather generic (according to the descriptions offered in the court
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files)
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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
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interview that this program was not ongoing but rather goes into effect
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whenever they get information from other agencies that indicate a suspicious
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package is on the way. For example, if a <ent type='ORG'>DEA</ent> agent observes a suspected drug
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dealer mail a package, the description of that package would be passed on and
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packages fitting that description would be selected for further review.
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<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent>' description of the program was that the <ent type='ORG'>Postal Inspection</ent> service
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would receive a tip from another agency that a suspicious package was on the
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way. They would then be looking for it at the O'Hare Air Mail Facility.
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"One of the things we look for is fictitious return addresses'' said <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent>.
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He didn't think there was a problem with it taking too much time to do this
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type of checking.
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After packages have been selected by their physical description, they are
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subjected to drug sniffing dogs or machines. The dog test consists of several
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similar packages being put in separate nylon sacks and if the dog bites and
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scratches at the nylon sack with the suspect parcel, a search warrant is
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sought.
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<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> indicated that the mail is not significantly delayed. Since most mail
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arrives very early in the morning they have plenty of time to examine it
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prior to the necessary delivery time later in the day. He also said that they
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will get a magistrate up in the middle of the night to issue a search warrant.
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Upon receipt of the search warrant, the package is opened and inspected for
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contraband. <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> said that normally, the package will then be sealed back up
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and delivered by a postal inspector who will arrest the recipient after they
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accept the package.
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What if a warrant is issued and the package does not contain contraband?
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<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> was unsure, stating that as far as he knew they had a "100% success
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rate'' on finding contraband in parcels opened pursuant to a search warrant.
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However, he offered to find out what the procedure would be if the package
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didn't contain contraband.
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<ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> findings were that there has been "no incident like that in <ent type='GPE'>Chicago</ent>.''
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However, when it has happened in other locations that have put a copy of the
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search warrant in the package and had it delivered normally. <ent type='ORG'>Hills</ent> cautioned,
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however that it wasn't necessary standard procedure to do that, only that it
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had been done in some cases.
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The above is reprinted from Full Disclosure Newspaper. Subscribe today and
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get interesting articles like the above, plus more... pictures, graphics,
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advertisement, and more articles. Full Disclosure is your source for
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information on the leading edge of surveillance technology. Print the
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following form, or supply the information on a plain piece of paper:
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----
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Please start my subscription to Full Disclosure for:
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[ ] Sample issue, $2.00
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[ ] 12 issue subscription, $18.00
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[ ] 24 issue subscription, $29.95
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With 24 issue susbcription include free one of the following:
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[ ] Directory of Electronic Surveillance Equipment Suppliers
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[ ] Citizen's Guide on How to Use the Freedom of Info/Privacy Acts
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[ ] Maximizing PC Performance
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Also available separately:
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[ ] Directory of Electronic Surveillance Equipment Suppliers, $6.00
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[ ] Citizen's Guide on How to Use the Freedom of Info/Privacy Acts, $5.00
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[ ] Maximizing PC Performance, $6.00
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<ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> residences, add 6.5% sales tax on above 3 items.
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Enclosed is payment in the form of:
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[ ] Check/Money order, [ ] Visa, [ ] Mastercard
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Card no:___________________________________ Exp date:_______
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Signature:__________________________________________________
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Phone:______________________________________________________
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(required for credit card orders)
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My name/address:
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Name:_______________________________________________________
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Street:_____________________________________________________
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City/State/Zip:_____________________________________________
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Return to: Full Disclosure, Box 903, <ent type='GPE'>Libertyville</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Illinois</ent> 60048
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</p></xml>
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