Florida authorities recently arrested two men on drug trafficking charges after a package labeled “Bag Full of Drugs” was found in their vehicle during a traffic stop. The incident took place on Interstate 10 in the state’s Panhandle area.
According to media reports, a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol clocked a vehicle traveling at approximately 95 mph and executed a traffic stop. Once the vehicle pulled over, the trooper discovered that one of its two occupants was wanted for a probation violation in Orange County. He called for backup, and a deputy and K-9 from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.
The K-9 signaled that there may be drugs in the vehicle, prompting the trooper and deputy to conduct a search of the car’s interior. During the search, they allegedly found a package labeled “Bag Full of Drugs” containing 75 grams of methamphetamine, 3.6 grams of fentanyl, 1.36 kilograms of date-rape drug GHB, 1 gram of cocaine and 15 MDMA tablets. They also uncovered unspecified types of drug paraphernalia. The occupants of the vehicle, both age 34, were arrested and taken to jail for processing. They have been charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in GHB, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In a Facebook post, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office joked that people shouldn’t label their bags of illegal drugs because its K-9 officers “can read”.
Individuals facing felony drug charges might assume they have no choice but to plead guilty. However, after reviewing the evidence, a criminal defense attorney might find ways to poke holes in the prosecution’s case. In some situations, this could lead to the charges being dismissed. In others, it could lead to the penalties being reduced through plea agreement negotiations.
