Sniffing Out Billions In US Currency Smuggled Across the Border To Mexico 158
An anonymous reader writes "Criminals smuggle an estimated $30 billion in U.S. currency into Mexico each year from the United States, most of it laundered drug money. But researchers say help is on the way for border guards in the form of a portable device that identifies specific vapors given off by U.S. paper money. "We're developing a device that mimics the function of trained dogs 'sniffing' out concealed money, but without the drawbacks, such as expensive training, sophisticated operators, down time and communication limitations," says Suiqiong Li, Ph.D., a member of the research team behind the technology. When developing the device, the researchers first had to figure out which gases money emits and how fast that happens. It turned out that the gases are a set of trace chemicals, including aldehydes, furans and organic acids." What do bitcoins smell like?
How to seriously stop drug money laundering (Score:5, Informative)
https://www.google.com/search?&q=banks+helping+drug+cartels
What does MY money smell like? (Score:4, Informative)
I'm far more concerned, whether the smell of my honestly-earned money is any different from that of the laundered drug proceeds. I suspect, the smell is exactly the same and, should I ever choose to cross the border with substantial cash, these devices will point me out. A major loophole in American (and English) legal system, allows seizure of "suspect" assets [wzzm13.com] even if the person himself can not be arrested.
Now, why would an honest citizen need to carry his cash with him?.. Oh, well...
Re:Wont matter (Score:4, Informative)
There's no limit on how much cash you can carry across the border - you just need to declare it if you have over $10k.
Real Solution (Score:4, Informative)
The real solution, of course, is to legalize marijuana nationally, thus drying up demand for the cartels main cash crop.
But oh, we can't do that, because it would put so many DEA agents and overpaid government contractors out of work!
So, they come up with not-even-half-assed solutions that sound good in a press release, and end up being nothing more than yet another tool of citizen subjugation over the long run.
nobody uses cash anymore including the cartels (Score:4, Informative)