South Carolina Cops Under Fire For Allegedly Targeting Out-of-state Travelers
South Carolina, Greenville County: Law enforcement officers are reportedly amplifying traffic enforcement tactics and property seizures, primarily targeting drivers with out-of-state license plates. In particular, this activity has been concentrated in Spartanburg County, during a period known as Operation Rolling Thunder.
This operation focuses on a 20-mile stretch of freeway between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose is ostensibly to crack down on criminal activity, but it appears that anyone driving through this section, particularly those with out-of-state plates, may be subject to highly aggressive traffic stops.
The Case of the Blue Tesla
One incident that sharply brings this issue into focus involves two Greenville County deputies who, on October 5, 2022, initiated a traffic stop on a blue Tesla with out-of-state plates. The car was not driving recklessly, nor had any broken lights or expired tags. The surprising pretext on which it was stopped was “driving in the left lane while not actively passing.”
After stopping the car, officers claimed to smell marijuana, thereby providing themselves with probable cause to search the vehicle. No narcotics or illegal items were found, only an unspecified amount of cash.
Highway Robbery Through Civil Forfeiture
The deputies, upon finding the cash, invoked what is known as civil forfeiture. This allows the government to take and keep any property it seizes, without requiring any arrest, conviction or even identification of a suspect. It must only loosely link the seized property to criminal activity, without necessarily having to prove anything in court.
Put simply, if the government seizes your money, you have to fight to get it back. This requires affording legal representation, which is often more costly than the amount of property seized. Trying to navigate the court system without representation is also fraught with difficulty, leading many to cut their losses and forfeit their property.
The blue Tesla driver and her passenger lost their money despite not receiving a traffic citation, let alone charges of a more serious crime.
Seizing Opportunity, Seizing Property
The worryingly low level of proof required to seize property and the difficulty in reclaiming it gives an arguably precarious incentive for police to focus on profit. This was starkly evident during Operation Rolling Thunder in 2022, where participants from 11 agencies managed to seize $968,611, amounting to a staggering $194,000 per day or more than $8,000 per hour.
Despite this high level of activity, there seems to be little proof of an equivalent number of criminals being apprehended. This brings to light concerns that the enforcement is not solely focused on curbing illegal activities, but as a scheme to grab as much money as possible.
The operation, in the guise of fighting the War on Drugs, has become little more than a highway shakedown. A clear pattern has emerged where, rather than arresting suspected drug couriers, law enforcement seems primarily interested in seizing cash.
The ongoing activities during Operation Rolling Thunder are raising serious questions, highlighting potential abuses and suggesting a need for reform. Focusing on profit and property seizure rather than genuine crime reduction risks undermining public trust and due process.
