Indiana
How A FedEx Shipping Hub Has Become A Cash Cow For Indiana
Indiana police use K-9s to search packages moving through a FedEx hub, using civil forfeiture to … [+]
Henry and Minh Cheng are jewelry wholesalers who have done business across the U.S. for over three decades, but one state they have never been to is Indiana. That hasn’t stopped Indiana from taking more than $42,000 from the couple without charging them with a crime. How did the state end up with their money? By intercepting packages at a busy FedEx shipping hub at the Indianapolis airport.
Civil forfeiture is often derided as “policing for profit,” but what is happening in Indiana hardly qualifies as policing. The hub in Indianapolis is the company’s second busiest in the U.S. Some 99,000 packages are processed per hour.
For at least several years, police have pulled packages from conveyor belts, run K-9s over them, gotten warrants to open the parcels, and seized money when they find it. Prosecutors for Marion County then file civil forfeiture cases to keep the money. Property owners find themselves fighting for their cash in a court that could be hundreds or thousands of miles away from home.
Indiana prosecutors file these cases without alleging any specific violation of Indiana law. Instead, they say the cash is proceeds of “a violation of a criminal statute.” To get their money back, property owners have to affirmatively defend against allegations that their property is linked to a crime. It is American justice flipped on its head.
For Henry and Minh, shipping products is standard but shipping cash is out of the ordinary. They work with Asian retail jewelers across the country and had shipped gold chains to a regular customer in Virginia. The retailer was slow to submit payment, and a few months after the sale the customer said she could pay promptly in cash. So the bill would be paid right away, Henry and Minh agreed to accept the cash payment and sent her a FedEx shipping label.
The money never got to the Chengs in California. What they got instead was a civil forfeiture notice. At this stage, many people simply give up, as the cost to pay an attorney can quickly equal the amount of money lost. Some who do get a lawyer choose to cut a deal with prosecutors to get only some of their money back.
But the Chengs were upset. They had done nothing wrong and they needed that money for their business. They found attorneys with the Institute for Justice and are fighting back in court.
However, the Chengs are not just defending their money. Their lawsuit also seeks to end Indiana’s FedEx hub scheme.
There is a lot wrong with civil forfeiture, but what Indiana is doing is unusually predatory. First, packages are deemed suspicious by police based on innocuous features. For instance, police have said a package was suspicious because it had tape on the seams. But FedEx actually tells customers to tape seams securely.
Second, getting a drug dog to alert to a package of cash is easy. At least one study showed that 90% of U.S. bills have traces of cocaine. If packages contain only money, no contraband, a dog alert doesn’t reasonably indicate the money is criminal proceeds. Every cash register in America is full of bills that would cause a dog to alert.
Third, Indiana prosecutors don’t allege what specific Indiana law is linked to the money. For the most part, the money seized is in Indiana only by happenstance. The origin and destination of the package are in other states. For Indiana to take someone’s property, it has to say what Indiana law was violated and thus justifies forfeiture.
Indiana police and prosecutors simply aren’t interested in uncovering crimes or arresting criminals. But they like the easy money. So far, since 2022 more than $1 million has been raked in with another $1.5 million working its way through the courts.
Now the Chengs’ lawsuit will put Indiana police and prosecutors in the hot seat for how they are violating Indiana law and the federal Constitution. No one should have to effectively prove their innocence to keep the money they’ve worked hard to earn.
Indiana
International academy proposes tennis center in Noblesville
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — An international tennis training group wants to open a facility in Noblesville, and the City Council on Tuesday night introduced the proposal.
Mouratoglou Tennis Center hopes to open a new academy at 14469 Olio Road for upcoming and professional athletes in September at the Deer Creek Business Park, located just off I-69 northwest of The Arena at Innovation Mile and east of Ruoff Music Center.
Just before the council meeting, the business and the Hamilton County city’s government announced the proposal in a news release.
News 8 reached out to the city government and the business to find out how much will be spent on the tennis center, and whether any government incentives were to be issued. Those questions are ones that could be asked during a public hearing for the project at 6 p.m. April 20 before the Noblesville Plan Commission.
The Noblesville tennis center would feature six indoor tennis courts, eight padel courts and four indoor futsal pitches, the release said. Construction would scheduled to begin in May, the release said. The facility would hold a soft opening in August, with a full opening expected by September.
Joyceann Yelton with the Noblesville Planning Department told the council that an existing building next to the roundabout at East 146th Street and Olio Road would be refurbished as part of the project.
Patrick Mouratoglou, a coach for more than 25 years, founded the tennis center, with the flagship being in France. Others are in China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Malaysia and Mexico. In the United States, there are centers in California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts and Texas. Mouratoglou previously coached Serena Williams.
Mouratoglou said in a statement, “Bringing Mouratoglou Tennis Center to Noblesville is an exciting step in our international expansion. What makes this project truly special is the ambition of the city to build a complete sports ecosystem where performance, education and community come together.”
The new academy will join several other major sports and wellness projects in the area: The Arena at Innovation Mile, which serves as the home for the Indiana Pacers G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom; and the future site of the USA Gymnastics Training and Wellness Center and headquarters. Additionally, The Arena was recently selected to host the 2027-2031 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships.
In July, the Noblesville government announced Gared Performance Sports Systems, a maker of institutional-grade sports equipment, would be coming to the 45-acre Deer Creek Business Park by August.
Indiana
Indianapolis police investigate shooting near downtown canal
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One person was taken to the hospital Monday night after a shooting near the canal in downtown Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded just before 8 p.m. to a shooting in the 300 block of West 9th Street. That’s an address within the 9 on Canal apartments near North St. Clair Street and West Senate Avenue.
Officers entered an apartment building and found a male who had been shot. He was taken to Eskenazi Health in stable condition.
A police report obtained by News 8 identifies the suspect as a male.
Police did not say what led to the shooting. No arrests have been made.
Indiana
Does this diner serve the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Indiana?
EDINBURGH, Ind. (Amazing America) — Is a trip to the Hoosier state complete without digging into a massive Indiana-style breaded pork tenderloin sandwich?
The Edinburgh Diner, a classic small-town joint about 40 minutes south of Indianapolis, serves up a delicious version of the staple that just might be the biggest one out there.
Drawing locals and road trippers alike, the menu at this cozy diner focuses on classic comfort food, with burgers, fries & onion rings, hearty breakfast spreads, and hefty portions of homestyle dishes — all for an affordable price.
The Edinburgh Diner’s 16-ounce behemoth of a pork tenderloin sandwich costs just $9.99.
The recipe is pretty simple overall, but there is a whole culture built around the Indiana pork tenderloin sandwich.
A large piece of pork is pounded super thin, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, it’s served on a basic hamburger bun with toppings like pickles, onions, mustard, or mayo.
The thing the otherwise no-frills sandwich iconic is the pork cutlet being way bigger than the bun, hanging over the edge dramatically. Locals say that if the tenderloin fits inside the bun, it’s not done right.
A crispy, salty exterior, tender pork, a soft bun and tangy toppings combine to form a simple yet beloved, satisfying Midwest meal.
Inspired by European schnitzel brought to the Midwest by German immigrants, the sandwich made its Indiana debut at Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington in the early 1900s. Over time it skyrocketed in popularity, becoming what many call Indiana’s unofficial signature dish.
It’s not just a sandwich. It’s a slice of Midwestern food culture. The debate over who makes the best one might never be settled, but until then, we are more than happy to try any and every version of this scrumptious dish — for research, of course.
The Edinburgh Diner is located at 413 S Eisenhower Dr, Edinburgh, Indiana 46124. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Mondays.
We know there are plenty of other stories of unique landmarks and cultural experiences in all corners of the USA, and we’re making it our mission to find and highlight them. If you know of one, we’d love to hear about it. Send a DM to @amazingamericatv on Instagram!
For more amazing stories, click here to subscribe to Amazing America on YouTube and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
-
Detroit, MI6 days agoDrummer Brian Pastoria, longtime Detroit music advocate, dies at 68
-
Georgia1 week agoHow ICE plans for a detention warehouse pushed a Georgia town to fight back | CNN Politics
-
Movie Reviews6 days ago‘Youth’ Twitter review: Ken Karunaas impresses audiences; Suraj Venjaramoodu adds charm; music wins praise | – The Times of India
-
Alaska1 week agoPolice looking for man considered ‘armed and dangerous’
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Turning Point USA Clubs Expand to High Schools Across America
-
Sports4 days agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
Science1 week agoIndustrial chemicals have reached the middle of the oceans, new study shows
-
New Mexico2 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured