Amtrak is reminiscent of a lot of the recent dot.com failures. The main difference is that although Amtrak hasn’t been profitable and likely never will be profitable, it props itself up through government largesse. Even with all of the federal aid it receives, however, profitability for the railroad is always 2-3 years down the road. Now Amtrak has decided to diversify into a line of work that might bring it back to profitability — it’s going to become a government snitch.
Amtrak recently entered into an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Agency. As a result an Amtrak computer terminal sits at the desk of a DEA agent stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The DEA will use the data about passengers to decide which people to question and whose luggage to inspect with drug sniffing dogs.
In return, Amtrak receives 10 percent of the value of any cash or other goods that agents seize from “drug couriers.” Of course much of the cash that DEA agents seize from “drug couriers” is actually from people it never even bothers to indict with any crime. Since the cost of hiring a lawyer to get back a few thousand dollars worth of cash is often more than the money, there isn’t much incentive for people to challenge such seizures (which need to be banned outright).
The criteria for profiling passengers on Amtrak seems to be much the same as for airlines — people who pay for their ticket very close to departure, especially in cash, are likely to get the third degree from the DEA if they’re heading to or from certain cities.
Source:
N.M. Amtrak Office Is Paid for Tips on Drug Suspects. Associated Press, April 12, 2001.
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