Recently, two Baton Rouge men were arrested and have been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. It started when a 48-year-old man from Peerless Street was driving east on Interstate 10, and a detective with the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force (C.A.T. Team) pulled his vehicle over for a traffic violation.
While the detective was talking with the passenger, a 26-year-old man who lives on East Monarch Street, he apparently smelled what he believed to be the odor of marijuana emanating from the car. Convinced the men were committing a drug crime, he asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle. The driver refused.
When Mako, a CPSO K-9, indicated the smell of narcotics coming from the car, the detective proceeded to search the vehicle. According to the officer, he found more than 22 pounds of marijuana in the trunk, which is valued in excess of $10,000. The driver and the passenger were both arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center. Bond was set at $150,000 for each man.
Anyone in this type of situation should remember that being charged with a crime is not the same as being convicted. A defense lawyer will closely examine all aspects of the traffic stop and arrest, making sure the arresting officer did not violate the accused person’s constitutional rights. Did the officer have probable cause to stop the vehicle? Was the search and seizure of drug evidence properly executed? Was the arrest handled properly? An attorney will answer these questions and more, while protecting the rights of the defendant.
Source: SulphurDailyNews.com, “C.A.T. Team makes marijuana bust on I-10,” 24 March 2011
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