From ???@0x000013AA Fri Dec 17 09:06:38 1999 Path: pitt.edu!newsflash.concordia.ca!hammer.uoregon.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.mathworks.com!newsfeed1.earthlink.net!nntp.earthlink.net!posted-from-earthlink!not-for-mail From: "- Mr Bill" Newsgroups: sci.electronics.misc,sci.electronics.repair,us.legal Subject: - US Customs raids electronics gadget stores !! Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 18:37:39 -0700 X-ELN-Insert-Date: Thu Dec 16 20:05:08 1999 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc. X-Posted-Path-Was: not-for-mail Lines: 95 NNTP-Posting-Host: 216.146.152.216 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 X-ELN-Date: 17 Dec 1999 03:58:06 GMT Message-ID: <83ccce$s54$1@birch.prod.itd.earthlink.net> Xref: pitt.edu sci.electronics.misc:73316 sci.electronics.repair:184536 Status: N News Release: US Customs has been raiding without warning various US based Electronic parts and supply distributors and retailers. Seizing anything to do with devices that "could be used" to surreptitiously monitor "audio". This includes kits and composite microcameras with audio capability. During these unannounced Gestapo-like raids, those Electronic suppliers who have been selling such kits and components for many years to the like of Hobbyists, Boy Scouts, Schools etc were threatened not to make waves or protest the US Customs confiscation, lest they have their entire operations shut down. The victimized stores where not even allowed to inventory the $10,000's of merchandise taken by Customs agents, nor were they allowed to unpackage any "kits" to salvage any of the expensive, approved non-audio or video components. If these "audio" monitoring/xmitting devices are truly illegal, many wonder why Customs didn't o their job in the first place and seize the items when initially shipped from Asia. And why didn't customs simply notify the various electronics stores and distributors of "their new opinion" and allow these law abiding owners to voluntarily remove and return the offending inventory for credit to the Asian suppliers ? Read this from one raided supplier, RamseyElectronics.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/scstore/sitepages/hobb y/fedpage.htm?L+scstore+krbn9427+945393910 ..... a recent US Federal Government action has prohibited us from selling this product to you because they feel you are using it for illegal use. For over 25 years, Ramsey Electronics, Inc. has been selling wireless hobby and educational kits for your fun, pleasure, and education in kit building. Investigators believe world class "kidnappers and organized crime" are using things like our $5.95 wireless microphone kits for their "surreptitious" international espionage use! When in reality, they've been used for years and years as a valuable educational kit used in things like model trains, amateur radio, school projects, Scout projects, baby monitoring and more. Further, our FM-5 kit has become the most popular "starter" kit to learn all about Surface Mount Technology. Schools use them around the Country for their students first hands-on project with SMT! Yes, we've been advised that some of our award winning low cost hobby kits, the same ones you see below, and that were FORMERLY ordered by thousands of scouts, schools and hobbyists for all these years, might be in violation of US Code Title 18, Section 2512 http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/2512.html because they believe their "primary use" was designed for such "surreptitious" use, and not for hobby, and educational use. ---------------------------------------------- If you believe this Customs action is wrong, heavy-handed and unwarranted, please contact your local and national news media http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Companies/News_and_Media/News_Serv ices/ and urge them to cover this nationwide story. Contact your local congressperson and let them know how you feel. http://www.house.gov http://www.senate.gov Take action now, as currently you can no longer buy any kit or device that "might be used" to monitor or record audio surreptitiously. Tomorrow they may come for your Video and Broadcast equipment . -- -- "America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. On the road to tyranny, we've gone so far that polite political action is about as useless as a miniskirt in a convent." - Claire Wolfe, _101 Things To Do 'Til The Revolution_ ============================================ Get a Free LifeTime email Aliases - www.Alias.org Free US Telephone Searches - NumberFinder.com 5¢ Long Distance calls to France - SuperPhone.net Free US Trademark Searches - TrademarkSearch.org =============================================