Did you see the news about the guy in, I think, Wis, who deposited $4000 in the bank and when a teller handled the money and smelled something funny ended up calling police who ended up going to the guy's house, finding a bag of pot and arresting him?

  This bothers me on several levels.  I read an article once about random forensic examination of paper money. The results were pretty wild - almost all of the paper money in circulation has cocaine residue that can be transferred to body of the person handling it well after it leaves the source.  Cocaine was only 1 of a lot of things on the money - some you probably would rather not know about.  Actually, if you handle large volumes of paper money in particular, I'd carry a perpetual supply of antibacterial wipes. 

  If the money was covered in blood or smelled of bitter almonds or a white powdery substance that might be terrorism-related, I can see a bank employee making the call.    Isn't our money scrutinized enough?  I understand (even if I don't like) the reasons why our banking habits are tracked and why some things automatically trigger Federal involvement. 

  Of course I understand the man may be a dealer but they are reporting the search of his home turned up a bag of pot.  My impression is that we're not talking pounds but an ounce.  Apparently the gentleman was on probation for something and this did constitute a violation and that was the grounds use for arresting him.  Also, being on probation negates need for a search warrant in most cases, so he had forfeited that right up front.  I'm not in a position to judge this man either way - he clearly put himself in a bad position either prior to or at the time of the money deposit.

       Even still, this just does not sit right with me.  I tried to put myself in the position of the bank teller.  If I found the money offensive because of smell, I'm sure banks have a procedure to despose/replace paper money that is "damaged."  The money by smell could not possibly have constituted a threat of any kind.  Maybe with homeland security and the depth and breadth to which those rules goes, there is some bank rule for employees that they have to report anything they find odd or suspicious.  Maybe someone here at LP is a bank employee and can shed some light for me.