I read this story, and then read it again. Go ahead, read it, it’s a short news report. Do you notice anything missing? There is something missing in this situation: the victim.
First, it is reported that the woman was avoiding taxes on her property in Sudan, and that’s why she was stopped. Of course, I don’t know why the US government would care one bit about Sudan property taxes. Then, at the end, it’s reported that she paid a $100K bond to get her out of jail on a smuggling charge. So, apparently, she’s been charged with smuggling money. Oh, it was her money. No one seems to question that. So what crime has been committed? Apparently, carrying money into the US is a crime that nets you almost two years in jail. I’m not sure how that law reads, but this just shows yet another reason to be in fear of the police (border police, customs, whatever).
In this case, there is no victim. There isn’t even remotely a victim. With the furthest stretch of the imagination, the only crime committed was that she didn’t put the right number on a piece of paper. And for that, two years in jail. And people wonder why I have zero respect for the law these days.
Oh, and yes, I do realize the actual reason for the arrest was because the arresting officer and the arresting agency, and the government will all get a cash bonus. That just makes this law even worse.