(12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each, and two carry-on items, 50 lbs. I've never had my bag checked on Amtrak, and they only do that at places where they have Amtrak police permanently stationed, like in New York and Chicago. (The ACLU of New Mexicos Simonson says they later reached an out-of court settlement with the DEA.). A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger. Hes currently serving 262 months in New Jersey. When you are a staffer its more than clothes. My job used to be as a paid political operative. Animals including comfort animals. Galesburg, IL 61401, Davenport / Rock Island For further assistance, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL. The man was allegedly trying to smuggle crystal meth in size 18 shoes for someone he knew only as Big Pun. Significantly fewer people have access to your bags on Amtrak than at an airport. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/baggage-policy/at-station-baggage-services. Fortunately, items like blankets, pillows, and medical devices are not part of the two-bag limit. Refusing a search protects you if you end up in court. @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { Amtraks Southwest Chief stops to pick up passengers. It is nice to see the rest of the country finally getting it. live Amtrak Police Communications Officer who will correspond directly via text messag e with the person to learn more about the situation and determine the appropriate action . Its a legal loophole of sorts, commonly used by DEA agents working mass transit to get around the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects people from unreasonable searches. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? Los Angeles is a known source city for illegal narcotics, DEA Special Agent Ryan Marriott wrote in an arrest affidavit in January 2019, describing how he found a courier on the Southwest Chief in Kansas City, Missouri. Boxes and bags are available for purchase at select stations to help transport some of the items you wish to take with you checked baggage. McKenzies previous criminal record and his attempt to flee by running in a semi-circle around officers, jumping 10 feet out of the train window, then scaling a fence at the edge of the station topped with concertina wire meant that prosecutors could recommend a lengthy sentence. Checked baggage is a service offered by Amtrak for passengers traveling with larger items that cannot be carried on board the train. An Amtrak Police Department canine in Chicago named Gander has detected the smell of narcotics on luggage that turned out to be carrying anywhere from a modest $20,040 to a whopping $830,000, according to asset forfeiture suits filed by the U.S. government within the past year and a half. In a roomette, you'd almost certainly have to keep your large bags in the luggage area (or check them). ACLU New Mexico Executive Director Peter Simonson said that travelers who are approached on the train or other mass transit often dont know that they have the right to refuse police searches. Three years later, in February 2018, a woman called Beth boarded the Southwest Chief in Chicago, heading west. I had snooping conductors wanting to know what was in my boxes and bags. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { For those who missed the earlier stories: The DEA is mentioned again in what follows, though other stories concern different law-enforcement organizations. It was filled with nothing but bundles of cash wrapped in tissue paper. After a 15 minute search, I was told to go back on the train. He was mostly doing it to Latina people, doing the immigration thing maybe or something? Beth said. The Amtrak employee received an unknown monetary reward based on the information they sent over. Perry, he said, has the easiest job in the world because he is catching the lowest-level couriers., Amy Martyn[emailprotected]gmail.com@amysilstein. Let's try a different question. Special Agent Perry quickly found bundles of cash in Riverss bag totaling $16,000. display: block; This is the first overnight train we've taken. Basically, I beat Republicans for a living. He flashes a smile and a badge. And now it is a regular feature of train travel in the United States of America. / : ; < = > ? You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. After a while, I found a huge garment bag with wheels on it! Its that the money is presumed to be guilty.. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. Your animal will need to stay on the floor at your feet in front of your seat or in your lap. The roomettes on train 14 don't have much space for luggage; I'll typically only keep two backpacks (one for each person) along with any snacks/drinks in the roomette itself. -The Silver Meteor which offers service between New York and Florida. You can tell where I'm going with this. Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. The Amtrak secretary started using his access to Amtraks reservation system to regularly look for people who might be planning to transport illegal drugs or money, based solely on subtle clues like one-way itineraries for private bedrooms, trips booked on short notice, trips booked by third parties, and trips paid in cash. Most of the passengers have no idea that DEA agents also often come aboard. (Beth is a pseudonym; The Intercept agreed to withhold the womans real name because she was not criminally charged.). Yes service animals must be kept on a leash or in a carrier at all times and may not occupy a seat. You know how unsafe that is for my safety? Yes Amtrak does offer checked baggage services at select stations. You dont care, he says. I am traveling with a service animal. Before you arrive at the station, make sure your baggage is packed appropriately in suitable containers. Items that are not allowed to be checked as baggage include but are not limited to: firearms ammunition flammable liquids and gases explosi ves poisons corrosives toxic substances infectious substances radioactive materials laptop computers and other electronic devices. I literally walked past a dog and an officer and the dog sniffed my bag and my friends' bags (we all had some various substances) and nothing happened. Well, I am moving home hello. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. Personal food and beverages are allowed in the upper level of Superliner Sightseer Lounges. handling your situation., Monmouth Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? What should I do if I need to leave my animal unattended for any reason? and our I wasnt sure. Checked Baggage If checked baggage is available, each passenger can check two bags free of charge to their final destination. _ @ " $ # ,). Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. Amtrak police were unhappy because they were cut out of the deal. My wife and I are taking 763 from Anaheim to LAX, and then taking 14 to Seattle in a sleeper car. We will send password reset instructions. Amtrak's unique travel experience for families, individuals and groups, Tickets & fares, accessible travel service, security & ID requirements, Boarding information, station lounges, baggage & station services, Seating & sleeping, baggage info, train amenities, food & dining, Amtrak travel deals, promotions and other partner offers, Savings for Kids, Seniors, Military, Groups and More, Train vacation packages throughout North America, USA Rail passes, monthly passes and multi-ride tickets, Earn points toward Amtrak reward travel, upgrades and more, Discover member benefits, ways to earn or redeem points and more, Explore ways to earn points that can quickly add up to great rewards, Get even more benefits with an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card. Harboring the false idea that security was lax, Richard McKenzie boarded the Southwest Chief in Flagstaff, Arizona, with 3 1/2 kilograms of cocaine in his luggage in 2008. I was told that if I didn't cooperate and let them search me, they would arrest me and take me off the train. On a trip to LA, my suitcase arrived the next day. He and other witnesses recalled him being the only black person in his coach car. Free Red Cap assistance service is offered at these major stations: Customers holding tickets for Amtrak travel may store their items in Parcel Check service when available for $10 per item for 24 hours. *Service animals are allowed onboard with restrictions. Let's try a different question. The ride is peaceful, with no Wi-Fi to pass the time, the security seemingly nonexistent. Who is this guy, why is he harassing these people? She interrupted Perry while he interviewed a group of Hispanic women downstairs, asking to see his credentials. ! " Almost everyone said yes, and those who said yes were left alone. At Chicagos Union Station, the final destination for the eastbound Southwest Chief and a hub for other long distance lines, a Chicago interdiction task force group, made of DEA agents and officers from the Chicago and Amtrak police departments, are routinely on the hunt for what they call drug proceed couriers, or in other words, people carrying large sums of cash. The number of boxes is limited, so boxes may not always be available. Two recent articles about the Drug Enforcement Administration harassing Amtrak passengers have elicited like . } Passwords are case sensitive. Passwords are case sensitive. Would it be best to check the bags at Anaheim for Seattle? More problematically, Perry has been captured on surveillance footage boarding empty Greyhound buses and pulling bags out of the checked luggage bin. Amtrak doesn't search bags like TSA does, so Amtrak won't really be looking for weed/drugs unless you give them a cause to search your bag (like an obvious odor, suspicious activity that could indicate smuggling). They found him guilty. When I took the train from Chicago(IL) to K-Falls(OR) early this year, I took the California Zephyr #5 then the Coast Starlight #14 via transfer at Sacramento(CA), but my checked bags were loaded on the Empire Builder #8/28 then the Coast Starlight #11 via Portland(OR). The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. What do I need to do when I arrive at the station? @media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) { Where will my animal sit during the train ride? I was then a 30-something female, traveling alone, with luggage I had in my room because I had a room (duh). She later saw him interviewing other passengers. All rights reserved. The app and train indicate if you can check bags on your journey. She later admitted that she was transporting the drugs in exchange for $2,500. Sometimes, in rare cases, the checked bags will not be on the same train as you. No district court has ever found that Special Agent Perry was ever dishonest with the Court, a federal prosecutor reminded a defense attorney trying to poke holes in a 2014 case and so Perry is still at work. . terms and conditions Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the Baggage Information & Services. privacy policy. #3. Passwords are case sensitive. Passwords are case sensitive, should be at least 10 characters long and should include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. We can supply ice for your cooler/container to keep medication cool. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. I still feel so violated, and was approached exactly the same way as others in your story. There are industries that are on the fringes, but not actually illegal, she said in an interview. Where can I take my animal to relieve itself? His tactics offer a case study in how law enforcement targets mass transit in the war on drugs, generating thousands of busts and a steady stream of revenue from seized assets. Because of fundraising, campaigns sometimes don't pay you till a month in. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? Oh, I guess the page I'm on still says that. and our They have targeted passengers in sleeper cars and those in coach. Theres so much random information and Im wondering what the actual deal is, Scan this QR code to download the app now. They alerted the Department of Justices Office of Inspector General, which determined in an investigation that the payments were wasting substantial government funds, according to a heavily redacted copy of the OIG report obtained by The Intercept via a Freedom of Information Act request. By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the privacy policy. When retrieving your luggage, hand the claim check to the Amtrak crew member to receive your luggage. The "Tag Your Bag" campaign was developed to raise customer awareness of the importance of attaching a name tag to each piece of checked and carry-on I could pack 3 suits & 5 white shirts along with underwear, etc in that garment bag! The other is tasked with getting people to talk and open their bags. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { She was returning home to California after a business trip; what type of business, she doesnt want to say. display: block; Please enter a password. An email with password reset instructions is on the way. So the size of the garment bag was never challenged. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. What should I do if I need to leave my animal unattended for any reason? You have landed at the best firm for I said no (I am not a U.S. citizen) and then was asked for ID. Hes not carrying a visible warrant or a train ticket and has no drug dog with him. The cop searched my bag, and explained to me that he can give me back my weed, but I risked getting arrested if I took it on the train with me. ! " Free ID tags are available at all of our stations. What do I need to do when I arrive at the station? McKenzie argued that Amtrak shouldnt be sharing passenger itineraries at all and questioned whether there really even was an informant, as the DEA claimed. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. Those already on board have a short time to disembark for a cigarette or some fresh air. Several people that Perry has seized cash from insist that they are not drug couriers and, in fact, were never criminally charged as such, though that didnt help them get their money back. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. In 2006, anArmenian couple described officers growing belligerent during a trip on the Southwest Chief the previous year whenthe couple washesitant to agree to a bag search at Albuquerque. Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. He simply asked for and received permission to search her suitcase. Yes all food and water bowls must be placed on the floor. But the defendant agreed to a plea deal shortly after the opinion was published, ending further inquiry into the matter. Do they search people onboard their trains? Although I have far more readers on the Acela corridor than anywhere else on the Amtrak system, and although that corridor serves the most passengers by a wide margin, I have yet to receive a story of anyone being harassed by the DEA on that route. A man stands in front of the Amtrak station and Greyhound bus terminal in Albuquerque. Passwords are case sensitive, should be at least 10 characters long and should include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. In many cases, the DEA has paid Amtrak employees to reveal details about travelers' itineraries. In Kansas City, DEA agents and local officers with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force await passengers on the train heading east. The Intercept is an independent nonprofit news outlet. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. I quit using Amtrak due to a 4 a.m. search and robbery of $300 in cash (thank god for travelers checks) by cops in Buffalo. He did not care at all about my other bags. The courts have ruled this is also legal functioning like a helpful tip sheet on whom to question. Only service animals are allowed on Amtrak trains buses and vans. appeared to have illegally searched his bag, They harassed mathematician Aaron Heuser and. Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more. . So, I guess there would be enough time to get our luggage from the 763 train to the 14 at LAX? Fees will be collected at the station or onboard the train if the station is unstaffed. You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. Up to 25 lbs. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. You dont understand the opportunity that you have, he told the kids. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. -The Coast Starlight which offers service between Seattle and Los Angeles. I am traveling with a service animal. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. Her arm was bruised from where he grabbed her, she later claimed in federal court. In theory, they. } If your begging and ending stations must have checked bagged service, you can check bags on many Amtrak trains. Be advised that you can check your baggage up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure; if you check your bag the night before then you just have to be at the station before your train departs. He still remembers how his mind was blown by the views of Native American reservations on the way from Arizona to New Mexico, and how he couldnt help chiming in when he overheard some kids in the dining car complain to their grandmother that they were bored. Birmingham AL; Chicago IL; Denver CO; Emeryville CA; Indianapolis IN; Kansas City MO; Los Angeles CA; Memphis TN; Miami FL; New Orleans LA; New York NY; Oakland CA; Orlando FL; Philadelphia PA; Phoenix AZ; Sacramento CA; San Diego CA; San Francisco CA; Seattle WA; St. Some popular Amtrak routes that offer checked baggage service include:-The Acela Express which offers service between Boston New York Philadelphia and Washington D.C.-. We dont have to prove that the person is guilty, Sean Waite, the agent in charge at the DEAs Albuquerque office, told the Albuquerque Journal at the time. 122 W Boston Ave, 2nd Floor St. Davenport IA 52807, 2023 by Gullberg & Box, LLC. Your email address will not be published. When Perry approaches, its hard for passengers to say no. In 2008, a drug defendant accused Perry of perjury, prompting the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to release an opinion stating that judges were troubled by the allegations and noting inconsistencies in Perrys account of how he linked a suitcase with drugs to the suspect in question. If checked baggage is not offered on a train/bus in your itinerary, it may be accepted on another train/bus bound for the same destination (excluding firearms). How do I know if my pet qualifies as a service animal? When arriving at a station with trainside checked baggage service, the train crew will let you know where you can claim your luggage. The carry-on and checked baggage policies on Amtrak Thruway Services of the 7000 . You may take your animal to any Amtrak personnel and they will assist you. 3. Dominic Jones, bottom left, and Megan, top right, are two of the roughly 327,000 people who ride the Southwest Chief in a year. _ @ " $ # ,). Enter a valid Guest Rewards number or email address. I would always try to go by Sleeper Car because your meals are included and the bathroom facilities are much better. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { My job used to be as a paid political operative. Enter a valid Guest Rewards number or email address. We will send password reset instructions. This is also my first time traveling with Amtrak, I went with a . For most of the 52 hour train ride those bags were unattended and out of sight, but largely available to all the passengers. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. The couple said that the agents then pulled out Diana Arutinovas bras and underwear from her bag, while making jokes, and threw clothing and shoes from her luggage onto the floor. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. Perry is running out of time before the train will have to continue without him, and possibly without a passenger or two, 70 miles northeast to Lamy, New Mexico. In court, the officer will have to prove that there was probable cause to do a warrantless search and this will give your lawyer a good chance to win your case. Whenever I had to travel with a larger-than-carry-on suitcase, I'd ship the business stuff a day or two earlier via UPS. Im not a drug courier, Beth told The Intercept. How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? I noticed that youre pretty nervous. At the baggage car, hand your luggage to the Amtrak crew member and you'll receive a claim check to retrieve your luggage at the destination station. News, photos, questions, and more. Enter the email address or member number associated with your account. The common theme is the harassment of innocent people without probable cause to think that they are doing anything illegal. Passengers luggage stored on the Southwest Chief. They've targeted carry-on baggage such as backpacks as well as typical checked baggage items. Thats part of the appeal. He asked to search my backpack and I consented. @media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) { What is the difference between a service animal and a pet? Perry has the easiest job in the world because he is catching the lowest-level couriers.. There has been a police state, a profit-driven one, rising in this country due to drugs prohibition. If they do, you may check two bags for free, and up to two additional ones for $20 each. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . Up to 50 lbs. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Amtrak does not have any security screening procedure of pretty much any kind. } You are using an out of date browser. Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Thats why we win. $20 each. An incident of harassment weighed on one reader for many years: I am still very disturbed by an event much like yours that happened more than 2 decades ago. / : ; < = > ? You may consume private stock alcoholic beverages only in Sleeping Car accommodations for which you have a valid ticket. The American Civil Liberties Union has described cold consent encounters as definitely cold, not so consensual. And the ACLU of New Mexico criticized Amtrak in particular for its insidious alliance with the DEA, after some information about the DEAs monitoring of train travelers came out in a drug trafficking trial in 2001. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. When I moved home to Arkansas from West Virginia in 2000 and again in 2005 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Little Rock, Arkansas, I had similar interrogation scenes. Rivers responded yes, just like everyone else had, and the agent took him up on it. Perry is not the only cop riding the rails. Perry and others in his interdiction unit have testified that they receive manifests ahead of time listing the passengers who will be arriving in Albuquerque. Special Menus & Special Dietary Requirements. Perry listened to his story and then explained that the DEA would be seizing the cash. I should probably log off and back on. Today, he seems confident that he will find someone on board carrying drugs or at least a substantial amount of money. Please enter a password. I am still disgusted at myself that I let them. If you will be transferring between stations en-route, plan for at least two hours of scheduled layover time to ensure your luggage is transferred to your new train. You may carry dry ice for your medication in checked baggage or carry-on baggage as long as it meets the proper conditions. and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each, 2 Carry-On Bags Afew hourscharacteristically behind schedule, Amtraks Southwest Chief rolls into Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the small station that it shares with the Greyhound bus service on the edge of downtown. and Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. Does Amtrak have drug dogs? Passwords are case sensitive. Does the DEA or ICE get on there? Do they arrest people with personal amounts of marijuana? Passengers tell stories of being awakened on a stop and being searched right there at their seats. My checked bags arrived at KFS the night on #11 before I arrived in the morning, and was stored until #14 that I was on arrived. Fortress Bank 3260 E 53rd (Since I was not crossing international boundaries, I did not carry my passport nor my USCIS Permanent Resident Cardand do not routinely carry my driver's licence unless I am driving.). and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each I had a sleeper car as I was going from Austin to Los Angeles. Special Agent Perry and a colleague leaving the Albuquerque Amtrak terminal after searching bags on the Southwest Chief. He keeps his voice low to maintain the element of surprise, though he doesnt search most of the bags. Greyhound bus service declined to address the allegations that Perry or other DEA agents had touched or opened passengers bags, but added that the company does not provide passenger manifests to outside law enforcement unless it is an immediate life endangerment issue. The statement directly contradicts testimony that Perry gave in March 2019, describing how he receives, via email from a confidential source, the record of passengers coming to Albuquerque on the Greyhound almost every day. Up to 50 lbs. I was a young (30) white male traveling alone. The train waited during this time. Some popular Amtrak routes that offer checked baggage service include:-The Acela Express which offers service between Boston New York Philadelphia and Washington D.C.-The Amtrak Cascades which offers service between Seattle and Portland. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. Unfortunately, trains are sometimes delayed and food supplies may become limited. But he stops short of opening the bag, which would be blatantly unconstitutional. A spokesperson for Greyhound, Crystal Booker, said in an email that the actions of the referenced anonymous source do not reflect the companys policy and were done outside of the companys knowledge.. As it happened, I did not actually have any ID on me, except for a local government employee ID issued by a New York State authority. I was the only one taken off the train. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. Word apparently hasnt reached the drug mules that their presence on the Southwest Chief and other passenger Amtrak trains is a known phenomenon that goes back decades, or at least back to the mid-1990s. It was very easy and convenient this way, and made it quicker for our many on/off the train in the various cities we visited. January 4, 2018 advocatesforu. We're here to help you get the most of your journey by train. When McKenzies case went before a jury in 2011, they could only rule on whether he was carrying a mixture containing a minimum of 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. Checked Bags. Do not store items in empty seats, aisles, vestibules or other areas where they may cause annoyance to other passengers or present a safety hazard. The juror misspelled his name, but its the sentiment expressed that matters to McKenzie. The Amtrak Police Department learned about the arrangement in 2014, and by that time, the Amtrak secretary had amassed $854,460 from the DEA for his work snitching on riders. Bicycle Boxes: $15 per box; Ski Bags: $3 per bag; Shipping Boxes: $5 per box By following these policies, you'll have everything you need to make your trip as enjoyable as possible. We will send password reset instructions. A service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks or do work to assist a person with a disability. -The Silver Star which offers service between New York and Florida. Earn points toward reward travel, upgrades and more.
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