In previous posts we have written about situations in which people have been charged with drug crimes after being caught in possession of the drugs. While this is certainly a situation where someone could face and arrest and drug charge, as a recent arrest made by Toronto police illustrates, one need not have the drugs on his or her person to be arrested for drug trafficking.
Police were called to a courier company after an employee became suspicious about a package that was dropped off, likely to be shipped to Edmonton. When the 28-year-old man who brought the first package returned with another one, he was arrested. Police claim to have recovered a total of $175,000 in cash as well as ketamine and cocaine with a street value of $550,000 from the packages.
The man now faces criminal charges including the following:
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking.
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime.
It is unclear exactly to whom the drugs, which were branded with the Star of David and packaged with paprika, were intended.
Individuals who believe that the mail can be used to send things that are illegal should think twice. This is because law enforcement monitors this practice as do courier employees.
The focus of the man who was arrested should of course be on defending himself against these charges. The failure to do so could result in jail time and down the line additional ramifications such as issues with entering the United States and problems securing workplace security clearances. For most people facing criminal charges this involves contacting a criminal defence lawyer.
