14 Jan Annapolis police detain man for 3 pounds of pot

On behalf of Jack B. Rubin, PA posted in Drug Charges on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.

Officers with the Annapolis Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by a 20-year-old man on Jan. 7. Upon searching the vehicle, the officers allegedly found three pounds of marijuana. The man, a resident of Crofton, was placed under arrest.

Reportedly, the Annapolis Police Department had received a tip that the man would be transporting marijuana. The tip came from a different agency, although the agency was not specified. Officers spotted the man’s vehicle on Maryland Route 665 and stopped it.

According to reports, officers indicated they could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Police brought in a K-9 dog, and the dog reportedly reacted to the trunk. Officers then searched the vehicle and found the marijuana inside of the trunk compartment. The man was taken into custody and later posted $25,000 bond. Law enforcement authorities indicate that the marijuana has a street value of approximately $57,000. The man’s charges include possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and intent to distribute.

Before police can stop a car, they must first have reasonable suspicion that the driver has committed or is committing a crime. It is sometimes possible that police protocol was not adhered to. In cases where a K-9 unit is used, the dog might have been falsely prompted to react to the vehicle. Although there are exceptions to the warrant requirement, if an exception is not met, an unlawful search and seizure might also result in the evidence being suppressed. An attorney might help in building one’s defense to locate any of these potential discrepancies.

Source: Crofton Patch, “Crofton man faces drug charges after $57K pot bust,” Deb Belt, Jan. 9, 2015