Gun Rights Policy Conference – Part 45

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BAFTE formerly known as the ATF) was the target of several speakers at this conference.

Dave Hardy gave us some useful insight into the workings of the BAFTE.

When the ATF seizes goods, they use a strange [to me anyway] method: they take the goods themselves to court!  That’s right, they sue the goods (U.S. vs. Lizard, U.S. vs. $5,000 cash, U.S. vs.20 pounds of cocaine, etc.).  Now, if someone wants their goods back, they have to put up a bond to secure their right to claim the goods.  If you do not pay the bond, you lose your forfeit your rights to the property seized.  [I personally would not recommend even trying to put up a bond on 20 lbs. of cocaine, but I would definitely do it to get my gun back!]  It will also be expensive.

Here are some of the rules they use:

• The person must be shown to be at fault.
• Acquittal is reason to get your goods back.
• Were the guns intended to be used in violation of the law?  Now the BAFTE has to prove it.  Before you had to prove they were not intended to be used to violate the law; a much harder case to prove.