AMTRAK 'SHARING' INFORMATION WITH D.E.A.

Something to think about next time you decide to ride the rails: Amtrak has
acknowledged that one of its ticketing offices has been "sharing
information" about passengers with the Drug Enforcement Administration, and
then taking a 10 percent cut of any assets seized from drug couriers.

"We provide a limited amount of information about our passengers to the
D.E.A. and other agencies as a part of their law enforcement activities,"
said Debbie Hare, an Amtrak spokeswoman. "I can't tell you how long it has
been going on, but this program exists all across the country."

A computer link from Amtrak's ticketing terminal in Albuquerque to the
local D.E.A. office allows agents to peruse passengers' names and
itineraries and to see whether they paid in cash or credit. The information
determines which passengers will be questioned or have their luggage
searched by drug-sniffing dogs.

Amtrak and D.E.A. officials defended the practice, which was first reported
in The Albuquerque Journal, saying the joint effort has resulted in
"substantial" seizures of drugs and cash. Ms. Hare said that any assets
received by Amtrak through the program were used for additional law
enforcement activities. She also said, "We don't believe there is a privacy
issue here."

But the sharing has raised some civil libertarian eyebrows -- if not made
their jaws drop.

"What they are doing raises serious issues about invasions of privacy,
about Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizures,
and about equal protection rights related to profiling by racial or income
types," said Peter Simonson, executive director of the American Civil
Liberties Union of New Mexico. "It is extremely troubling, and we're
investigating it now."