Checked baggage service is available at a number of our stations and on many trains and Thruway Services. Do they arrest people with personal amounts of marijuana? Checked Bags Passengers are allowed up to four checked bags. The fee for the first checked bag is $20 and the fee for the second checked bag is $30. Its that the money is presumed to be guilty.. Does the DEA or ICE get on there? r/Amtrak is for anything Amtrak related. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { But in March 2019, Beth signed a document agreeing to forfeit the cash rather than testify under oath about where it came from. Your email address will not be published. Even in Union Terminal in Chicago the security was not really that tight. Personally, I've never had anyone check my luggage on any train, but I also don't travel with any kind of drugs beyond my prescriptions. With Beths permission, Perry opened a suitcase she had stowed away in her room. 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 Coast Starlight which offers service between Seattle and Los Angeles. I am traveling with a service animal. He was mostly doing it to Latina people, doing the immigration thing maybe or something? Beth said. By signing in to your account you acknowledge you have read and agree to the updated terms and conditions, including the binding arbitration agreement. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? Does Amtrak offer checked baggage services? After a 15 minute search, I was told to go back on the train. In response to questions from The Intercept, the DEA said that they cannot discuss their investigative tactics, and Amtrak would only say that they work with numerous outside law enforcement agencies, including DEA agents in Albuquerque. Cookie Notice Without realizing that the agents had already flagged his itinerary as suspicious, McKenzie opened his Louis Vuitton bag, revealing a cereal box at the bottom that the agents noticed was unusually heavy. But prior defendants in Albuquerque had tried similar arguments, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals had determined in 2004 that it wasnt illegal for law enforcement to access Amtrak passenger records because they werent the sole basis of arrests; the consensual encounters were. Required fields are marked *. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . She later admitted that she was transporting the drugs in exchange for $2,500. The rest of my luggage generally sits in the luggage rack on the lower level. #3. Luggage must be checked prior to your train's scheduled train departure. 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. 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. News, photos, questions, and more. Can you tell me why youre nervous? Perry responded. Passwords are case sensitive. @media screen and (max-width: 767px) { This next reader was told that he raised suspicion as the result of a characteristic I share: While traveling on Amtrak from Chicago to Toronto the train was boarded by U.S. Customs agents who proceeded to take me and my luggage off of the train to a small shed where everything was searched. / : ; < = > ? Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. 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 . I just read your article about the DEA harassing people on Amtrak. Theyve made the arrests in the short amount of time that the Southwest Chief is stopped at the station. A view of the Albuquerque Amtrak and Greyhound terminal on March 15, 2019. on about your day, ask yourself: How likely is it that the story you just read would have been produced by a different news outlet if The Intercept hadnt done it? I've read that there is some luggage space on the Superliner coming out of LAX, but I am wondering how available it is. He hasnt found any drugs or cash yet, and hes getting increasingly irritated at me for recording him. January 4, 2018 advocatesforu. Enter a valid Guest Rewards number or email address. Thanks in advance. Aug 28, 2018. McKenzie fit the profile of a drug courier, the DEA, argued, because he had been traveling from a source city (Flagstaff, Arizona) to a destination (New York) on a one-way ticket that cost $1,836. 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.-. St. Davenport IA 52807, 2023 by Gullberg & Box, LLC. Thats when an unknown DEA agent first approached an Amtrak secretary for information about the itinerary of a passenger who was under arrest. Special Agent Perry and a colleague leaving the Albuquerque Amtrak terminal after searching bags on the Southwest Chief. Nor could you probably do that at NYP, WAS, CHI, LAX, etc! An email with password reset instructions is on the way. and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each Luggage must be checked at least 45 minutes prior to . Because he told me he was an officer, the young passenger in Albuquerque later said, explaining why he agreed to the search. Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. 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 . terms and conditions Where will my animal sit during the train ride? / : ; < = > ? Coming back home on the CS 11, we got off in San Francisco for three nights, then a night in Monterey. There has been a police state, a profit-driven one, rising in this country due to drugs prohibition. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Beth, not wanting to start a fight with a police officer, agreed to let him follow her back upstairs to her sleeper car. 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. Let's try a different question. r/Amtrak is for anything Amtrak related. (12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each, and two carry-on items, 50 lbs. Please enter a password. Its legal for Perry to search people without probable cause, a warrant, or a dog because travelers supposedly realize that they have the right to decline to submit to his searches. My job used to be as a paid political operative. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. _ @ " $ # ,). Edgar Manukian demanded the officers names. That was the kind of work he did for a living. Why was I travelling with so many bags unchecked, etc. I can't honestly say I felt intimidated but I also recognize that it could have gone down very differently for someone who is not used to dealing with such situations, or someone having a different profileor indeed someone who legitimately forgot their ID at home. Why was Mr. Mckenzi approached? the juror asked. Special Menus & Special Dietary Requirements. Law enforcement has been trying to intercept drug couriers on Amtrak trains for many years. The Intercept is an independent nonprofit news outlet. Bows, arrows and other archery supplies are allowed in checked baggage when transported in a suitable hard case container. Even if he searched and found a moderate amount of drugs in my bags, how does he . Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. Thats why we win. The number of boxes is limited, so boxes may not always be available. Mine happened in Arizona (don't remember exactly where), but I was finally told (when I tried to repeatedly ask why I was being harassed) that I "matched a description" of a drug dealer. The Amtrak Cascades which offers service between Seattle and Portland. I would always try to go by Sleeper Car because your meals are included and the bathroom facilities are much better. David Streiff, head of security for all of Greyhound North America, said in a June 2018 email to DEA Special Agent Jeff Armijo that he was respectfully rescinding the DEAs access to the Albuquerque station, effectively immediately. Greyhound declined to comment about the email or what has happened since. Passengers must retrieve their checked baggage at their destination station after the train has arrived. Perry is not the only cop riding the rails. 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. privacy policy. 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. An older woman with brown skin looks caught off-guard when Perry reveals his badge. Are there any restrictions on what type of food my animal can have on the train? Regardless of whether you check your bags bring them onboard with you, I would recommend you keep everything you'll be using onboard with you in a smaller bag that you'll keep in your room. What items are not allowed to be checked as baggage with Amtrak? When you are a staffer its more than clothes. Passengers traveling with infants under the age of two may bring an additional infant item onboard (stroller, diaper bag, etc. Right now, youre traveling across the United States.. Amtraks Southwest Chief stops to pick up passengers. privacy policy. ! " To see if a particular station offers checked baggage passengers can use the Amtrak Station Information tool on the Amtrak website. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. I was a young (30) white male traveling alone. 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. Law enforcement and the DEAs efforts have failed to stop the availability of marijuana and narcotics. We dont have ads, so we depend on our members 35,000 and counting to help us hold the powerful to account. Rivers later learned that this was all legal under civil forfeiture, the quirk of the American criminal justice system in which a persons property can be seized even if they are not convicted, or even accused, of a crime. Jones, 33, from Peori, Ariz., took the Southwest Chief to Kansas City to visit his mother for the first time in 20 years. Bags may not exceed 62 inches in combined length and width and may not weigh more than 50 pounds. The man was allegedly trying to smuggle crystal meth in size 18 shoes for someone he knew only as Big Pun. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include 1 uppercase and 1 lowercase alpha character, 1 number and 1 special character. We know that police must follow proper procedure before, during, and after a search and seizure, and we are prepared to scrutinize the situation to determine whether the police violated your rights. He keeps his voice low to maintain the element of surprise, though he doesnt search most of the bags. I had snooping conductors wanting to know what was in my boxes and bags. How much does it cost to check a bag with Amtrak? . If your begging and ending stations must have checked bagged service, you can check bags on many Amtrak trains. Do not pack your medication in checked baggage, or leave it packed in your car on the Auto Train, as you will not have access to your checked bags or vehicle during your journey. 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. Amtrak does not require a printed ticket for boarding. Get flash sales, Amtrak Guest Rewards promotions and account updates sent directly to your inbox. terms and conditions Amtrak does not have any security screening procedure of pretty much any kind. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? 2 Bags Free Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. Basically, I beat Republicans for a living. Again, the bags can't be heavier than 50 pounds or . Passwords are case sensitive. Special Menus & Special Dietary Requirements. The kind of reporting we do is essential to democracy, but it is not easy, cheap, or profitable. The juror misspelled his name, but its the sentiment expressed that matters to McKenzie. The Albuquerque Amtrak and Greyhound terminal in March 2019. Perry listened to his story and then explained that the DEA would be seizing the cash. Shortly after departing Reno a man with a badge identified himself as with the DEA. Last year, Greyhound tried to kick the DEA out of its Albuquerque station. Sometimes, the fact that a person is traveling on a one-way ticket, for example, is enough to flag a passenger for a search. Or do it at LAX? A man stands in front of the Amtrak station and Greyhound bus terminal in Albuquerque. Enter a valid Guest Rewards number or email address. 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. My wife and I are taking 763 from Anaheim to LAX, and then taking 14 to Seattle in a sleeper car. 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. 40 years ago, when I was traveling regularly on business, usually flying, initially, I'd check my larger bag and have only my brief case full of 'business stuff' which included a reel of computer tape to match the one in my checked baggage. Amtrak does offer checked baggage services on some routes and some stations, but you must check their website to make sure that the stations you're using provide checked baggage services. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/baggage-policy/carry-on-baggage. The ride is peaceful, with no Wi-Fi to pass the time, the security seemingly nonexistent. Free ID tags are available at all of our stations. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/meals-dining/personal-food-beverages-medication. Animals including comfort animals. What should I do if I need to leave my animal unattended for any reason? The pleasant trip ended at approximately 12:30 p.m. on July 7, 2008, when DEA Special Agent Mark Hyland and Stephen Surprenant de Garcia, an officer assigned to the DEAs local interdiction task force, approached McKenzie as he smoked a cigarette in Albuquerque. In order to qualify as a service animal your pet must be individually trained to perform tasks or do work to assist a person with a disability. You can tell where I'm going with this. Advance check-in is recommended. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Please enter a password. As he told a judge at a hearing in 2011, I want to go to trial, because I want to see who the government puts on this stand as this person who is credible, who sends the information. In an earlier hearing, over objections from the U.S. attorneys office, a DEA agent had testified that he received McKenzies itinerary from an informant in one of Amtraks ticketing offices, who had been trained to look for drug couriers by Perry and an Amtrak Police Department officer. Every ride counts as an Amtrak Guest Rewards member. You may carry dry ice for your medication in checked baggage or carry-on baggage as long as it meets the proper conditions. *Service animals are allowed onboard with restrictions. # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . Almost everyone said yes, and those who said yes were left alone. I appreciate your input. display: block; For more information, please see our -The Sunset Limited which offers service between New Orleans and Los Angeles. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This is the first overnight train we've taken. I'm OK with our bags getting there before we do. The complete baggage policy is available on . Law enforcement has been trying to intercept drug couriers on Amtrak trains for many years. and 14 x 11 x 7 inches each, 2 Carry-On Bags @media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) { } Perry did not respond to a request for an interview. Might I ask what kind of room you'll be in? Hes currently serving 262 months in New Jersey. If you have special dietary requirements, or a condition such as diabetes, we suggest that you carry sufficient food with you to meet your needs in the event of a delay or other contingency. The other is tasked with getting people to talk and open their bags. 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. He flashes a smile and a badge. Carry-on and personal items must be kept with you, stored in overhead racks, under seats or designated baggage areas. 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. His name is Jarrell, or Jay, Perry, and hes done it hundreds of times before. In theory, they. Federal health regulations prohibit . He asked to see my ticket, where I was headed and why. diaper bags), which does not count towards the carry-on baggage or personal item allowance. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. .dpctv64507a6913a7b { By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. 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. For carry-on luggage, Amtrak allows all passengers to bring two carry-on bags with a maximum size of 28" x 22" x 14". (Travelers cant decline a search once a drug dog makes a positive hit, however.). I am traveling with a service animal. Special Agent Perry quickly found bundles of cash in Riverss bag totaling $16,000. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. Fees will be collected at the station or onboard the train if the station is unstaffed. His secret weapons are a train and bus depot in his district that seem to attract an inordinate amount of drug trafficking, and a capacious interpretation of the Constitutions tolerance for stops and searches. ! " You are using an out of date browser. Overweight bags must be repacked so they are under 50 lbs. The fact that it might be easy to find drug couriers on trains isnt a compelling argument to him. Checked baggage must be dropped off at the Amtrak station prior to boarding and will be placed in the baggage car on the train. } 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. (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.). You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. There are some restrictions on what can be checked as baggage including:-Baggage must not exceed 50 lbs.-Baggage must not exceed 62 inches when the length width and height are added together.-Baggage must be properly packaged and labeled. Please enter a password. The man who appeared outside her sleeper car in Albuquerque was charming, Beth remembered, but persistent. Enter the email address or member number associated with your account. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Oops, that answer wasn't quite right. Definitely more so. The number of boxes is limited, so boxes may not always be available. Free ID tags are available at all of our stations. By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the Maybe thats a coincidence. Most of the passengers have no idea that DEA agents also often come aboard. We each brought a small bag with necessities into the roomette, and stored our larger cases on the luggage rack on the lower level of the sleeper car. ), which does not count toward the carry-on baggage or personal item limit. I learned to pack it all in that plus my briefcase. A maximum of two excess bags are permitted per passenger. Caligirl55038 2 yr. ago. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each, onboard. Each passenger may bring two personal items, 25 lbs. Please enter a password. You have landed at the best firm for Fees will be collected at the station or onboard the train if the station is unstaffed. A $20 excess baggage fee will be charged for each carry-on and personal item above the quantity and size limits. On paper the 763 stops for 20 minutes at LAX, and the 14 doesn't leave until 40 minutes later. Register today and take advantage of membership benefits. Also, what about security if we don't check our bags? Law enforcements job would be much, much easier if they didnt have to comport with any constitutional restrictions and could simply arrest people at will, he said. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? The person who recruited the Amtrak secretary as a DEA snitch described him to Department of Justice auditors in 2015 as one of the most valuable interdiction informants the DEA has ever known. Amtrak itineraries were a goldmine, the person added, responsible for the seizure of millions of dollars.. I did not see him ask questions of anyone else in my car. 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. It is your constitutional right to say no to a search. Passengers tell stories of being awakened on a stop and being searched right there at their seats. Checked baggage is a service offered by Amtrak for passengers traveling with larger items that cannot be carried on board the train. Please enter a valid station, city, or address. @media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) { That might be illegal, but the agents cover . The first two are free of charge, and the second two cost $20 each. } Your password must be at least 8 characters long, include at least 1 alpha character, and include at least 1 number or special character (- ? Yes service animals must be kept on a leash or in a carrier at all times and may not occupy a seat. Each passenger is allowed two 25-pound personal items and two 50-pound carry-on items on board. 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 train waited during this time. Amtrak police were unhappy because they were cut out of the deal. They've targeted carry-on baggage such as backpacks as well as typical checked baggage items. Perry iswhite and looks like hes in his fifties. I am traveling with a service animal. An email with password reset instructions is on the way. My job used to be as a paid political operative. Rivers said he was stunned. I noticed that youre pretty nervous. Do they search people onboard their trains? You can trust both checked and carry-on baggage about as well as you can trust them on an airline, if not more so. Does Amtrak have drug dogs? By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the privacy policy. 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. In addition to self-service handcarts in a number of Amtrak stations, you can count on uniformed Red Caps to provide free baggage-handling assistance at many major stations. The common theme is the harassment of people without probable cause to think that they are doing anything illegal. He argues that these raids do nothing to stop the flow of illegal drugs. News, photos, questions, and more. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, https://www.amtrak.com/content/amtrak/en-us/onboard/baggage-policy/checked-baggage. 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. Make sure you have a tag with your name and address on the outside of all your bags. 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. You know how unsafe it is for me to put my name in a piece of paperwork? We will send password reset instructions. @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` < | > ~. If checked baggage is available, you can check two bags through to your final destination free of charge. We are getting a roomette, and I understand that they're pretty small. Most people step off to stretch their legs or have a cigarette during the layover, the longest smoke break in the entire trip. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. Checked Baggage . For further assistance, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL. He loved selling illegal drugs negotiating, talking to people, the art of the deal, as he described it. By clicking Join, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the program terms, including the binding arbitration agreement, in the Amtrak has a generous carry-on baggage policy allowing you two personal items and two suitcases up to 28," and everything must weigh under fifty pounds. Get flash sales, Amtrak Guest Rewards promotions and account updates sent directly to your inbox. Which Amtrak stations offer checked baggage services? and You dont care, he says. Weve sent you an email with instructions to reset your password instead. Enter the email address or member number associated with your account.
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