I rent a mailbox from a private agent, ( Pack and Mail )
 so that I can receive packages without waiting at home for
 the UPS guy , and to insure against having things stolen off
 my doorstep.

 A lot of the stuff I get is Ammo and Shooting accessories,
 so it's worth paying a few bucks a month for peace of mind.
 (They sign for all deliveries.)

 They are also an official Postal Agent , which means they
 can receive mail delivered by the US Post Office.

 Today I went to see if I had anything in my box , and
 pay my annual fee. While the clerk was making out my receipt,
 I noticed a sign posted by the register.
 This is what it said- ( paraphrased )

[b]"We have been requested to inspect any package over
 8 0z. delivered via UPS or FEDEX, and to verify
 the Identity of the receipient.
 The package will be opened in your presence,
 and you must provide photo ID"  ..etc...[/b]

 By the time I finished reading this,(TWICE) my receipt was ready,
 and I pocketed it and left , too stunned to ask any
 questions of the girl behind the counter.[:O]

 So, it appears that Uncle Sam is worried that
 some RagHead might be sending me Anthrax or a Semtex party favor , and is
 dilligently taking steps to thwart their Evil plans.

 How Thoughtful.[rolleyes]

 My advice to all of you - Wash behind your ears , and be careful what you
 wish for.

                (and now the moral of the story)


 [b]" The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield
    and government to gain ground."
                                         Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)[/b]
 

Go back and ask some questions.... Find out WHO gave them that authority.

[IMG]http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/geno/321.gif[/IMG]
That's what I think about it.  

The easy answer is to just not do business with a private concern who takes it upon themselves to "inspect" packages.

As a private business, they can set policy as they see fit.

Yesterday, I actually read an article about the intentional privatization of internal surveillance efforts by Feds to skirt Constitutional limitations. I wish I could find the link.

Don't worry, people.  This will probably be the least of our worries.  In 5-10 yrs, military roadblocks will be a way of life here--and why not?  Half of the world is used to it, why not us?

I'm not a lawyer either. If I tell you today that I am going to open your mail tomorrow when it arrives. I am still breaking the law when I open it tomorrow, even though I told you today. FEDEX and UPS are private companies so I'm not sure if opening somebody els's parcel is protected under the federal staute like US Postal stuff is. Therefore I doubt they will do it.