What is the difference, if any, between "drug" money, and "regular" currency?

Question

I have been pondering this question since viewing "Lethal Weapon 2", and the scene in which Danny Glover removes a pack of bills from a shipment of currency, then he tells Mel Gibson "I could pay for all of my kids college educations, with just this".

When Mel Gibson says "Take it", Danny Glover does an about-face, saying "Its filthy drug money".

This makes me wonder just how the public, and businesses, can tell the difference between DRUG money, and REGULAR currency. It also makes me wonder what would happen if I went up to a drugs presentation, and swapped a $10.00 bill, from my wallet, for a $10.00 bill, from a pack, seized in a drug bust.

If I, then, took the "drug" money to a local store, and tried to buy merchandise with it, would the store staff reject the bill, saying "Thats filthy DRUG, money"?

Is "drug" money printed any differently than "regular" currency? Is "drug" money "encoded", somehow?

If not, how can anyone, myself included, know that any money we, now, have, in wallets, or purses, was not used, at one time, or multiple times, by other persons, to buy drugs?

If there is no way to be sure which currency came from which source, HOW can the public be sure that we are carrying "clean" money, and not "drug" money, "extortion" money, or even "prostitution" money?

How can we tell the difference between "organized cirme" money, and money received as payroll, or government benefits, money?

I would like to know HOW to tell the difference between "legal" money, and "illegal" money? Is there a difference and, if so, what is the difference?

Answer 1

The phrase "drug" money just means that the money was used in funding drugs, it is not printed any different, there is no difference just that the money was taken from a drug shippment or something of the sort. Drug money is not encoded and you cant tell if the money you have has been used for buying/selling drugs most money like that is laundered through a business.

Answer 2

Your question is so simple. That is a good thing, because all of the drug king pin should know the answer. Luckily, you are not one of them. The drug money after money laundry will be a normal currency.Money laundry is illegal,however. Normal income will have to pay tax. And to pay tax you have to tell them where the money came from. The drug money cannot pay tax. But if you can buy something without notice, it will complete the money laundry process. On the contrary,if you take a huge sum of cash to the bank, the bank will have to report to the IRS without your notice. And you screw.

Answer 3

Danny was making a political point. However, money is simply the stuff that lets us peacefully trade markers for goods or services that can be used elsewhere for something the recipient wants. There are some people who you don't want to trade with. You had better be prepared, in that case, for the peaceful part of my definition, however. Some people just don't want to play nice, especially if they are considered social pariahs.

Answer 4

Paper trail availability could possibly be the only difference. That difference too would evaporate if the money is being laundered through financial system/banks.