It is often the case that those who are arrested on drug charges are caught after a run-in with the law that occurred for a completely unrelated reason. Often, routine traffic violations lead to the arrest of individuals for the possession of illegal drugs. A traffic stop in Monroe, North Carolina, for example, resulted in two men being charged with drug trafficking after state troopers seized 81 kilos of cocaine from their vehicle.
The two men were pulled over by state troopers on Highway 74 on June 16. There were three duffel bags on the backseat of their truck and officers believed that they could see a number of packages wrapped in brown tape inside the bag. A drug-sniffing dog was called to the scene and indicated that there could be drugs inside the vehicle. The troopers searched the truck and found the cocaine, which had an estimated street value of $2.4 million.
Once they were in custody, the pair confessed and directed the police to several homes in North Carolina which they used to process cocaine. The men are being held in federal custody under no bond after authorities suspected that they might be in the U.S. illegally.
Allegations of drug trafficking are extremely serious. If convicted, the men could face lengthy jail sentences. Drug convictions can also have a lasting effect on a person’s future. Employers are often hesitant to hire individuals with drug crimes on their records, no matter what the circumstances were that led to the conviction. Anyone facing a trial after a drug-related charge should consult an experienced lawyer. Such a lawyer will work to assure that his or her clients achieve the best possible outcome.
Source: WBTV, “Highway Patrol busts cocaine smugglers,” Andre Dykes, 18 June 2011.
