Hidden compartments in your car could become a felony!

milktree

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http://reason.com/blog/2017/07/06/this-mass-lawmaker-wants-to-throw-folks

reason.com said:
A hidden compartment in your car (or plane, or boat) could land you at least two years in prison in Massachusetts if a lawmaker gets his way.

Blame it on the war on drugs and pressure from law enforcement lobbying. Stephan Hay, a Democrat state representative for Fitchburg, has introduced a bill that would criminalize operating a vehicle with a hidden compartment designed for the purpose of secretly transporting drugs and related contraband, equipment, currency, or weapons.

The bill, H.1266, separately criminalizes the process of altering a vehicle with the intent of creating such hidden compartments. In each case the bill calls for a two-year mandatory minimum sentence, five years for subsequent offenses. The bill also allows police to seize the modified vehicle.

It goes on.

So, don't let anyone steal your guns, so you have to leave them in plain view. That makes sense.

How would this not be an absolute, direct, obvious, indisputable violation of the 4th Amendment?
 
This is just stacking charges. They already know what is in your vehicle....


http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nypd-uses-...ugh-cars-houses-whats-under-your-coat-1524027
The X-ray vans have the technology to penetrate through the body of a vehicle as it drives past to see whether there are weapons, explosives or drugs inside

nypd-x-ray-z-backscatter-van.jpg



nypd-x-ray-z-backscatter-van.jpg
 
The article is both factually wrong and misleading regarding the disposition of funds seized in asset forfeiture. The police do not keep all of it, and the funds cannot be used to pay police salaries (not that it was stated, but it was implied).

Here is a paper that I helped write for the Worcester District Attorney's office discussing asset forfeiture. http://worcesterda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Prevention-paper.pdf
 
yet another knee jerk reaction where the middle aged white suburbanite will be targeted cause they're easy prey for shit like this. cops wouldn't dare bust anyone else for this because they fear the backlash.
 
you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide.

also now that car ramming attacks are the terrrrrrorrrissssssssts weapon du jour, it's not necessary to scan inside them.
Everyone here with a van or other large capacity vehicle should turn those illegal high capacity vehicles in immediately, or face prosecution.

We know who you are and who has complied with the mandatory Large Capacity / High Mass Vehicle and Terrorism Safety act of 2018 (legislation coming soon in commiefornia).
 
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The article is both factually wrong and misleading regarding the disposition of funds seized in asset forfeiture. The police do not keep all of it, and the funds cannot be used to pay police salaries (not that it was stated, but it was implied).

Here is a paper that I helped write for the Worcester District Attorney's office discussing asset forfeiture. http://worcesterda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Prevention-paper.pdf

You're missing the point.

Do you not realize that the important part of the bill isn't the forfeiture part (although that's bad) but the "you're not allowed to have secrets, or you're a felon" part?
 
The criteria is too vague, and while it could apply to an under seat locked box for gun storage as written, without the nexus to illegal activity this would be thrown out as being over broad.
 
We gotta convince the crunchy liberal types that these Xray vans are going to give their kids autism. That will get them banned
This level of X-Ray should not be used on a occupied vehicle. Note the lack of a skeleton in the passenger area of the sample image. But, the images on the vendor site do show someone in the driver's seat.

Backscatter x-ray was pulled from airports, probably because too many people (like me) were opting for the manual junk check.
 
Wow, seriously? You guys are a bunch of paranoid tinfoil hat wearers. This is is being introduced because of all the people busted with secret compartments for heroin and drugs, cash from selling those drugs and illegally owned firearms to protect the drugs and cash. These vehicles are being driven by thugs and scumbags, not "middle aged white suburbanites". Honestly, if that is considered "stacking the charges" then who gives a shit? One more charge on another scumbag drug dealer that the court will have to justify throwing out. I seriously doubt you middle aged white guys driving your Prius into Boston have to worry
 
Next up, a requirement all subjects wear light colored clothing at night so the police can get a good sight picture if necessaryl.
 
Wow, seriously? You guys are a bunch of paranoid tinfoil hat wearers. This is is being introduced because of all the people busted with secret compartments for heroin and drugs, cash from selling those drugs and illegally owned firearms to protect the drugs and cash. These vehicles are being driven by thugs and scumbags, not "middle aged white suburbanites". Honestly, if that is considered "stacking the charges" then who gives a shit? One more charge on another scumbag drug dealer that the court will have to justify throwing out. I seriously doubt you middle aged white guys driving your Prius into Boston have to worry
Are you serious? You must think the constitution is a ridiculous pile of garbage

Edit to add that I'm young and brown. My lack of thuggery doesn't mean cops are necessarily going to view my guns like they would yours.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 
Wow, seriously? You guys are a bunch of paranoid tinfoil hat wearers. This is is being introduced because of all the people busted with secret compartments for heroin and drugs, cash from selling those drugs and illegally owned firearms to protect the drugs and cash. These vehicles are being driven by thugs and scumbags, not "middle aged white suburbanites". Honestly, if that is considered "stacking the charges" then who gives a shit? One more charge on another scumbag drug dealer that the court will have to justify throwing out. I seriously doubt you middle aged white guys driving your Prius into Boston have to worry

Well then another law will definitely stop the non-law abiding. That's sarcasm by the way.
 
This level of X-Ray should not be used on a occupied vehicle. Note the lack of a skeleton in the passenger area of the sample image. But, the images on the vendor site do show someone in the driver's seat.

Backscatter x-ray was pulled from airports, probably because too many people (like me) were opting for the manual junk check.
I'm still opting for manual junk checks even with millimeter wave.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 
Are you serious? You must think the constitution is a ridiculous pile of garbage

Edit to add that I'm young and brown. My lack of thuggery doesn't mean cops are necessarily going to view my guns like they would yours.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

I love our constitution. Served to protect it.
This is about those hides engineered with hydraulics or hidden buttons to release it, or a series of buttons knobs and switches to open a hide. I doubt any of you keep your firearms in a compartment like that when traveling. Did you hack your cars roof off and fill it with ARs and ammo then Bondo it, paint it and put it back on just to go to the range? No.
 
Wow, seriously? You guys are a bunch of paranoid tinfoil hat wearers. This is is being introduced because of all the people busted with secret compartments for heroin and drugs, cash from selling those drugs and illegally owned firearms to protect the drugs and cash. These vehicles are being driven by thugs and scumbags, not "middle aged white suburbanites". Honestly, if that is considered "stacking the charges" then who gives a shit? One more charge on another scumbag drug dealer that the court will have to justify throwing out. I seriously doubt you middle aged white guys driving your Prius into Boston have to worry

Tell this to Mr Gurley.....
http://reason.com/archives/2014/02/16/the-crime-of-having-a-hidden-compartment
 
I will agree that is messed up. We cannot allow MA to write ours the same way, "operating a vehicle containing a hide". If it's not being used to hide drugs or cash or something then you really don't have anything. It could be the person had no idea it was there and should not be charged. Adding on another charge for scumbags trafficking heroin isn't a bad thing.
 
I love our constitution. Served to protect it.
This is about those hides engineered with hydraulics or hidden buttons to release it, or a series of buttons knobs and switches to open a hide. I doubt any of you keep your firearms in a compartment like that when traveling. Did you hack your cars roof off and fill it with ARs and ammo then Bondo it, paint it and put it back on just to go to the range? No.

If I wanted to do that, I should be able to. Lots of guys stash ARs in hidden compartments inside bookshelves and wall shelves. Why not in a car too? Secure in my person and my belongings. Hidden compartments are like encryption - there is the possibility of good and bad uses, but government is too dumb to know the difference. (or just doesn't care, which is more likely)

- - - Updated - - -

I will agree that is messed up. We cannot allow MA to write ours the same way, "operating a vehicle containing a hide". If it's not being used to hide drugs or cash or something then you really don't have anything. It could be the person had no idea it was there and should not be charged. Adding on another charge for scumbags trafficking heroin isn't a bad thing.

..
It's like the law in NY where if you are riding in the vehicle with someone who has a gun under their seat, every occupant in the car can be charged with felony possession. It seems clearly unconstitutional to me, but I'm just a paranoid tinfoil wearer.
 
I don't think I made my argument clear. I'm not against hides in general, just the ones these scumbags are using for their illegal crap. If a licensed person wants to tear up their car to hide a legal firearm, fine. A bit wierd and can raise some eyebrows and may lead to some questions to make sure everything is good to go but whatever. Which is why this needs to be written in such a way that only scumbags will be charged with it.

Well it's NY so I'm not surprised. That needs to change. Being charged and convicted/sentenced are totally different. That just reinforces why this needs to be written carefully.
 
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I will agree that is messed up. We cannot allow MA to write ours the same way, "operating a vehicle containing a hide". If it's not being used to hide drugs or cash or something then you really don't have anything. It could be the person had no idea it was there and should not be charged. Adding on another charge for scumbags trafficking heroin isn't a bad thing.

Your mistake is that the war-on-citizens cops see everyone as both a potential scumbag and a revenue source through asset forfeiture.

This proposed law should die on the vine. How long before some JBT healy-esque AG decides that the factory installed locking compartment installed by the manufacturer in my Silverado is 'a hide' because it's under the seat? Or the pop-off plastic compartment where the jack is stored in my SUV? They're both 'hides', where you have to pull off a body panel or move a console to access. Fvck that, and Fvck them. For the record, the only drugs those vehicles carry regularly is Advil, but the civil forfeiture laws are written that the arrest causes a forfeiture and you have to sue to get it back from them. I'll note US AG Jeff Sessions is also a civil asset forfeiture fanboy.
 
I love our constitution. Served to protect it.
no, you don't.


This is about those hides engineered with hydraulics or hidden buttons to release it, or a series of buttons knobs and switches to open a hide. I doubt any of you keep your firearms in a compartment like that when traveling. Did you hack your cars roof off and fill it with ARs and ammo then Bondo it, paint it and put it back on just to go to the range? No.

I should be able to use my money to modify my car anyway I want. Maybe I want a hydraulic "hide" in my car so my wife can't find my porno mags.

It has nothing at all, really, to do with what you're hiding. It's a gross overreach of the state. Anyone who supports this should be hung in the town square along with the legislators who vote for it.
 
I don't think I made my argument clear. I'm not against hides in general, just the ones these scumbags are using for their illegal crap. If a licensed person wants to tear up their car to hide a legal firearm, fine. A bit wierd and can raise some eyebrows and may lead to some questions to make sure everything is good to go but whatever. Which is why this needs to be written in such a way that only scumbags will be charged with it.

Well it's NY so I'm not surprised. That needs to change. Being charged and convicted/sentenced are totally different. That just reinforces why this needs to be written carefully.


Drugs are already illegal. Why do we need to make drug hides illegal too? By the way - the war on drugs isn't keeping people off of drugs. It's keep cops, courts, and jails busy and making a few people at the top of cartels rich.
 
I don't think I made my argument clear. I'm not against hides in general, just the ones these scumbags are using for their illegal crap. If a licensed person wants to tear up their car to hide a legal firearm, fine. A bit wierd and can raise some eyebrows and may lead to some questions to make sure everything is good to go but whatever. Which is why this needs to be written in such a way that only scumbags will be charged with it.

Well it's NY so I'm not surprised. That needs to change. Being charged and convicted/sentenced are totally different. That just reinforces why this needs to be written carefully.

Intent is very dicey territory. Is that compartment for legal guns, drugs, an out-of-the-way survival kit, or maybe I just wanted a compartment for the hell of it. Why should I need any reason at all? Who's to say what it's for?

If the illegal crap is the real issue, then the existing legal prohibition on the illegal crap ought to stand on its own. It really is that simple.
 
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