Federal and state agencies seizing property now include the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Coast Guard, the IRS, local police, state highway patrols, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the FDA, and the Bureau of Land Management. Asset forfeiture is a growth industry. Under civil seizure, property, not an individual, is charged with an offense. If government agents seize your property under civil asset forfeiture, you can forget about being innocent until proven guilty, due process of law, the right to an attorney, or even the right to trial. Seizure occurs when government takes away your property.
Forfeiture is when legal title is permanently transferred to the state.
You have to prove that neither you nor any of your family members ever committed an illegal act involving the property. That means you can now lose your home or business because of the action of employees, relatives, or guests, over whom you have absolutely no control. Not only do police and prosecutors have the power to seize anything you own on the slightest pretext, they also have the incentive. The dirty little secret of the forfeiture racket is that police, prosecutors, and judges can benefit personally by stealing your property. Your House Is Under Arrest.