MONETARY POLICE SEIZURES ON THE RISE

SAN JUAN -- Police seized $5,800 in cash during a stash house raid two
weeks ago.

A few months before, they acquired a 2003 maroon GMC pick-up truck
after pulling over an accused cocaine dealer.

Cash, cars, even computers aE& like many police departments in the
area, San Juan is realizing the benefits of fighting the drug
trafficking industry through cash and property seizures.

"A lot of the times it's a car not worth a lot, but to deter these
guys we decided we're going to use every opportunity to seize what we
can," said San Juan Police Chief Tony Garza.

"We're stepping it up this year."

So far this year, San Juan has accrued more than $67,000 in seized
cash, a big jump from last year when their 12-month seizure total only
amounted to $4,400.

While the money will not pay for additional officers, or an expansion
of department headquarters the chief has been requesting, officers are
able to purchase equipment for which they wouldn't necessarily have
the money.

"The money can be used for anything to supplement law enforcement,"
Garza said. "Neighborhood watch signs or equipment for police
officers. We're trying to build a SWAT team, and we've bought some
equipment for that with the money."

For years, police departments have been making use of the money they
seize through arrests.

Last year, for instance, the Pharr Police Department took in roughly
$422,000, the vast majority of which came through U.S. Customs and
Border Protection seizures at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.

But even those departments that have targeted drug traffickers for
some time now are seeing greater proceeds than they have in the past,
said McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez.

"It's not necessarily because there's more activity or we're making
more arrests," he said. "We restructured how we work our cases. Now,
we have our own (drug) unit, which is wholly department operated.

"Prior to that, we were participating in drug task forces. In that
scenario, the assets went to the task force of the Drug Enforcement
Administration. We're realizing more forfeitures."

With an annual budget around $22 million, the $484,000 McAllen police
have earned from cash seizures this year doesn't constitute a major
revenue source. With it, the department has purchased items like
mobile surveillance units or headsets for the SWAT team.

"We're a big department and we're well taken care of," Rodriguez said.
"But for the smaller departments, it makes a difference."