Two people in New Jersey were arrested after police discovered a significant amount of heroin in their vehicle on Sept. 2. The traffic stop occurred on the northbound side of Interstate 81 nearby Syracuse. The vehicle had been targeted through an ongoing investigation headed by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Strike Force. The investigation was a collaboration between local and federal law enforcement agencies working to decrease the amount of heroin available in Central New York.
A 34-year-old man and 22-year-old woman were riding in the vehicle when it was stopped. Officers reportedly recovered 21 bricks of heroin that had a total weight of 31.5 grams. The estimated street value of the bust was projected to be around $10,500. The pair now faces three counts relating to criminal possession of a controlled substance. They were charged with felony counts of possessing of a large amount of heroin and intent to distribute. They also face misdemeanor charges for possessing it in smaller amounts as well.
On Aug. 13, the HIDTA strike force executed an operation that allegedly resulted in 19 arrests and seizure of 13 ounces of heroin in Newark. The district attorney maintains that these arrests are a reflection of the HIDTA commitment to targeting traffickers and disrupting the inflow of heroin to the area. All of the people arrested during these drug busts may benefit from contacting legal representation as soon as possible. Lawyers representing these defendants might be able to challenge the legality of the search and seizure warrants executed during the operations.
People facing serious drug charges often benefit from the advice that criminal defense lawyers can provide. Legal counsel may be effective in obtaining an acquittal, lesser charges or a more lenient sentence if they can significantly weaken the prosecutor’s case by exposing reasonable doubt or legal grounds for dismissal due to rights violations or inadmissible evidence.
Source: syracuse.com, “Two N.J. drug mules caught bringing $10,500 of heroin into Syracuse, DA says“, Douglass Dowty, September 04, 2014