Behind the Blue Line

Takedowns

Multi-Agency Investigation Leads to 311 Patriot Act Designation Against Hisballah-Backed Institutions

Two Lebanese exchange houses have been identified as foreign financial institutions of primary money laundering concern, the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently announced.

This is the first time non-bank financial institutions have been identified under Section 311 of the USA Patriot Act, the department said, and the actions against Kassem Rmeiti & Co. For Exchange and Halawi Exchange Co. will help the Treasury Department target financial networks that support the terrorist organization Hizballah.

GEICO's Good Stuff

DHS Hoping to Acquire iPhones and Tablets to ID Bomber Fingerprints

GEICO’s Good Stuff is a column series highlighting great stuff happening in the federal community.

Biometric iPhones could help the Homeland Security Department expedite the identification of suspects in bombings and other disasters.

DHS is looking for iPhones to better capture fingerprints, facial images and written descriptions to aid in the identification of persons of interest, according to a market survey released Friday. The department is also looking to acquire iPads and Windows-based tablets.

Case Law Update

Sixth Circuit holds that Defendant's Action in Responding to Police Officer's Request to Look Inside Car's Locked Glove Compartment Box by Handing Over his Keys to Unlock Box, Even though Defendant gave no Verbal Response, was Sufficient Consent

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit decided the issue of whether the district court erred in denying defendant’s motion to suppress a gun that police found in his car’s locked glove box during a traffic stop when the defendant did not provide verbal consent after the police asked to look inside defendant’s glove box, but instead handed his keys to the police in response to their question.