This wasn't written by me, I downloaded it from somewhere ages ago, I take no credit for it, but I'm dumping it here so whenever someone asks about posting stuff y'all can be like "yo head to /howto/ u fucken tard" feel free to ask questions/post suggestions, would be nice if this didn't get lost.

    Here are some of the USPS's favorite things to look for. Yes, they apply to so many packages that they amount to an ability to arbitrarily detain most packages in violation of the 4th Amendment, but the courts have upheld them. All of these are official USPS criteria.

    1) Package addressed from one individual to another individual: You probably don't plan on putting your own name and address as the return address. Whatever return address you do use should appear to be a business, not an individual. Something like "invoice enclosed" would probably help the illusion.

    2) Mail from one zip code to another / Package from a "drug state": OK, can't do much about this one. Don't try to fake it either - a return address with a different zip code than the place you are mailing it from will trigger the next item. This is the one indicator you're allowed to ignore - don't worry, you have to have several indicators to get a dog.

    3) Fictitious return address: This is where a lot of people make a mistake. The return address should be real. It shouldn't be your address, but if it says "Bob's Gift Shop and Taxidermy, 123 Main St." then there had better be a store with that name at that location. If a package draws the attention of a postal employee for another reason, they will quickly conform the addresses and if one is bogus then they will definitely hold the package and call for a dog. When selecting a business address for the return address, look in the phonebook for one that is: a)near the post office you are using, b)small enough that it does not have a commonly recognizable standard package/label, and c)would logically send small packages out to individuals. Businesses dealing in gifts, collectibles, auto parts, computer parts, ect. will all send out packages to individuals who buy things on eBay.

    4) Fictitious recipient: Now you obviously aren't going to send the package to the wrong street address, but sending it to the wrong name may seem like a good idea to avoid incriminating your buddy. Don't do that. Put the right name at the right address. The local post office often does know who lives where. They don't always pay attention, but again if they do take an interest in your package, a fake name will bring them from just having a passing sense of curiosity to the level of "reasonable articulable suspicion" that will result in a dog giving the package a sniff. Using a fake name won't do much to help your buddy anyway. If he knowingly accepts a package that's addressed to someone else then this will look just as suspicious as having a package sent to him directly.

    5. Handwritten addresses: Computers are easy to use. You're using one right now. Use it to print out labels for both addresses and you'll take yourself out of one of the categories that the USPS likes to pick on the most. A lot of common word processing programs will even generate that weird bar-code looking thing that the USPS uses. The easier it is for the post office to sort your package, the less anyone will have to look at it.

    6. Wrapped in brown paper: The post office recommends brown paper wrapping as a great way to make their job easier, but they also use it as an indicator of a drug package. It's best to use a plain, clean box without any paper wrapping. A white box will probably look more business-like and deviate further from their idea of what a drug package should look like.

    7. Heavily taped seams: This is another big attention-grabber. People who are scared of having odors escape will carefully seal every seam with strong tape - often doubling up to be sure. Obviously you should not do this. Tape the box well enough to keep it from opening, but leave at least some unsealed segments of the seams. Don't just leave them unsealed due to apparent sloppiness, instead cut the tape before you reach some corners to make it clear that you weren't even thinking about sealing the package from odor leaks. Paper-based tape is best since it is obviously a lousy choice for odor control. If you use duct tape, you may as well make the return address "Jack Herer, 420 Hemp HIGHway." Your odor containment strategy should be inside of the box where they can't see it without probable cause.

    8. Unusual odor: OK, you obviously don't want the package reeking of your glorious dankness. But you also don' want it smelling like anything else, except maybe cardboard. Talcum powder, according to the USPS, is used to cover drug odors. For that reason they consider the odor of talc to be almost as incriminating as the odor of fine bud. Don't get creative and try to cover goodies with potpourri or anything else - nothing will fool a dog and anything at all will alert a handler. Just shoot for good, redundant containment inside the package.

    9. Express Mail: The USPS thinks most drug packages are in Express Mail. Yeah, it's kind of silly for them to offer a service and then accuse people of being criminals just for taking them up on their offer, but no one ever said the feds had to be rational. Stick to Johnm214's advice and use Priority or First Class.

    (Pic unrelated)

>>  Siouxsie !gnW/kEE6yo Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:26:56 EST ID:F4pyDAhI No.8185 Ban Global Ban Ignore Report

    It's extremely important that you avoid as many of the indicators listed above as possible. Aside from the inter-zipcode and drug state ones, you can avoid the rest without too much effort. It's crazy that the USPS can trample the 4th Amendment whenever they see common features of ordinary packages, but courts have supported them. They actually use the same "reasonable articulable suspicion" concept as was created in Terry v. Ohio. Since the USPS is assumed to be confident, several hits on their list of arbitrary features is considered to be adequate reasonable suspicion to delay a package and have a dog sniff it.

    The good side to this type of court-sanctioned invasion of privacy is that the USPS is limited to their established list. They NEED to be able to point to clear observable features on the package in order to justify special treatment. If you deny them these features and they detain your package anyway, your lawyer will have a good case to suppress the dog's reaction, contents of the package, and anything they found in an investigation as a "fruit" of their illegal opening of the package. Don't stake your freedom entirely on this, but just like when you deny consent at every step of a search, you should try to leave as many options for your defense as possible.

    A quick note about FedEx and UPS - they are not bound by any 4th Amendment restrictions. They can and do open whatever package they feel like and anything they discover is admissible. FedEx supposedly has their right to open your package without cause in some fine print on a form that senders sign. Even if these companies illegally open a package, the contents are still admissible. The 4th only applies to the government. That's why when you mail something sensitive, you should use the USPS, not a private carrier.

    One final consideration - if the worst happens and your precious herb is discovered, postal inspectors and other LEOs will most likely conduct a "controlled delivery." Drugs in a package addressed to someone do not prove that the recipient knew he was getting drugs - they need to prove this part to have a case. An inspector will dress as a carrier and deliver the package to the recipient. After a period of time, often 30 minutes, a team of inspectors and other LEOs will serve an arrest warrant. Their hope is that they will discover something during the arrest that can be used to incriminate the recipient. If the recipient follows some precautions, he'll be fairly safe from prosecution. He may be arrested, but a conviction will be difficult unless he gives the government their case.

    The recipient should be told in advance:

    1) DO NOT OPEN THE PACKAGE! The recipient will be claiming later on that he did not request the package and was surprised by its delivery. Leaving it sealed is inconsistent with the behavior of someone who expected the package and knew it contained something awesome.

    2) DO NOT REFRIGERATE THE PACKAGE! That sounds weird, but it comes straight from the USPS. You should extend that to include any storage that s meant to preserve perishables. Treating the package too well indicates that you know what's in it. The best strategy is to just leave it in the open and very close to the door (take away their need to look around for it).

    3) HIDE YOUR OTHER GOODIES! The presence of drug paraphernalia or actual drugs found during the arrest can be used to indicate that you would probably like to get more drugs by mail. At the very least, get everything illicit in the house out of the common areas and into rooms with closed doors. If they do not have a search warrant for the entire house (they probably won't) they will be limited to a search as part of their arrest. The recipient will be arrested near the front door or in the living room (if that is real close to the front door). They can search the immediate area around you during an arrest. The courts have let the "immediate area" become the entire room. When they are searching that room, if they can see into other rooms and spot probable cause, they can enter those as well. If they find something at any point during this search, it may be enough to extend the search to the entire house. That's why you need to make sure everything illegal (except the package) is in a closed, locked room with no one in there (if the cops enter to get the person, they'll search the room).

    4) "I WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE PACKAGE CAME!" Never talk to th police except to ask if you are free to go and, if not, only say that you want your lawyer. There is one small exception here. Stonewalling or deception when they ask about the package is a big sign that you know there's something bad in it. They did a controlled delivery, so they can already prove you received the package. If you have it unopened and near the door, you should state that you didn't order a package and have no idea what it is. In fact, you saw that business name as the return address and you were going to Google them to get a phone number and find out if something was delivered by mistake. It would be a very good idea to actually look up the company on Google as soon as the package arrives, leave the page on the screen, and write down the contact info on a piece of scrap paper. You can even put that paper on the package so you can find it when you get around to calling them. No, the postal inspectors and other LEOs won't believe you, but they'll know that in the absence of any evidence that you knew about the weed, your story will provide plenty of reasonable doubt for a jury. Now when they keep on asking questions after you explain your surprise, you need to keep your mouth shut and lawyer up. Don;t say anything at all after this point. They will try all srts of nasty tricks. Someone will mention weed in the package during the arrest. Later on, if you refer to the weed in any way, someone else will claim that since they never mentioned weed to you, you must have known about the package because you requested it. If you attempt to explain yourself, you'll look like you're lying. So again, plead ignorance and surprise, lawyer up, and don't say a single thing to anyone other than your lawyer until you're free.

    5) Don't cooperate with any change in your postal service's routine - If they have left packages at the door in the past but seem real insistent on hand delivering this one, don't even answer the door. If you think it's realistic for them to need you to come to the door but they then want you to sign something, you should totally refuse. Take one look at the address, say you don't recognize it, and you won't sign for anything you didn't order. The sender should never use registered or insured mail. There is no acceptable reason to sign for this package. It's even better if the package will fit in the recipient's mailbox.
    Good luck with the package. Don't be put off by how scary I might have made it seem. They (feds) play a tough game, but they're stuck with a playbook that we've known for years. As long as you stick to the rules, you'll deny them everything they need to get a conviction.

    If anyone knows the source of this and wants it recognized, just reply and I'll start the thread again with the information included - or I'll just delete it, idc