Scott Raymond Bledsoe

Lee H Kramer
FOIA Appeals Officer
United States Customs Service
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20229

Re: Freedom of Information Act Appeal

Dear Lee H Kramer:

This is an appeal under the Freedom of Information Act.

On October 8th 1999, I requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

I sent my request to your office and received a response 1 month later which advised that the request had been forwarded to the Tampa Fines, Penalty, and Forfitures office for response.

On December 23rd 1999, I received a response to my request in a letter via Fed Ex signed by MA Crawford for Vann Capps, Area Port Director denying access to the records I reuested.

I appeal the denial of my request.

The reason for the denial was that the information was exempt from disclosure because there was a pending open case. While I understand the reasons behind not disclosing information that could jeopardize an on going investigation, my request is not relevant to this exemption.

My request was not asking for specific information about the case. My request was simply refering to the contraband (marijuana) seized during a raid in Jacksonville. During this raid(s), a total of 23,000 pounds of marijuana was confiscated. My request seeks to disclose the chain of custody of the seized marijuana, the present location of the seized marijuana, and the final destination of the seized marijuana. Disclosing this information would in no way bias the pending criminal case relating to the seizure and is vitally important to furthering my understanding of the inner workings of my government. I feel that in the case of my request this denial has been inappropriately applied and ask that you fufill my original request for this information.

May I also point out that it took from October 18th until December 23rd for me to receive a denial or approval on this request, which is well beyond the prescribed timeframe for responding with an approval or denial. Although I understand that on November 3rd my request was forwarded to Tampa for an answer it was 50 days after that until I get a response. This delay is unacceptable and was a violation of law in itself, especially for a denial.

Please see enclosed, copies of the original request, the letter from yourself dated Novemeber 3rd, 1999 and the response from Tampa FPF office dated December 22, 1999.

Thank you for your consideration of this appeal.

Sincerely,

Scott Raymond Bledsoe