A drug investigation is carried out to arrest drug dealers and those involved in the illegal dealing of narcotics. Penalties for drug possession and trading include incarceration, seizure of property and assets among others.
If you are being investigated or have an inkling that you are under the vigilance of a drug investigation agency, be sure to check with a qualified and experienced lawyer about possible ramifications, legal measures, and the right course of action.
Table Of Contents
- How to know if the police are investigating you for drugs?
- How do police investigate drug dealers?
- What to do if you are being investigated for drugs?
- Drug Investigation Techniques and Tactics
How to know if the police are investigating you for drugs?
If you are being investigated by agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), they are most likely to possess a warrant authorizing them to tap your phone, access your phone records, put a GPS tracker on your car or track your activities online. Be extremely wary of what you say over the phone and anything you post online.
You are under no obligation to consent to a drug investigation search unless there is a valid warrant against you. However, in some situations where a suspect is being pursued or evidence is being destroyed warrantless searches may be justified.
How do police investigate drug dealers?
Possession of narcotics and prescription-based drugs such as MMJ, opiates, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, and amphetamines are subject to a drug investigation. Drug investigations are based on information that drug investigation agencies, state and county level police departments gather from relevant sources about illegal drug dealing.
Generally, information on street-level drug dealers, crack-houses, and other high-level drug dealers is obtained through confidential informants, including community members and other law enforcement agencies. In many cases, the community working with the police or drug investigation agency provides valuable information on drug-related malpractices. They work together in helping communities reclaim neighborhoods struggling with illegal drug abuse and trafficking.
What to do if you are being investigated for drugs?
A drug investigation agency or a prosecutor must establish beyond reasonable doubt your involvement in the drug conviction that you conspired to commit or committed the drug offense. If you find yourself facing drug charges and being investigated, it is imperative to consult a skilled and experienced lawyer to avoid any hassle and unwanted repercussions.
It is also highly likely that what you say or do will be taken out of context. Let your lawyer take charge and do the talking to ensure that your rights are protected and secure a safe dismissal of all charges against you.
Drug investigation techniques and tactics
Drug enforcement agencies and police departments rely on different techniques and tactics to deal with drug abuse and illegal drug proliferation. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has a dedicated computerized pointer system called the ‘National Drug Pointer Index’ (NDPIS) that provides information about drug investigations to participating federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies nationwide.
The DEA typically collects three types of drug investigation, namely: tactical, investigative, and strategic. Information used for arrests, seizures, and interdiction falls under tactical investigation. Investigative intelligence refers to information gathered for use during prosecution. Lastly, strategic intelligence helps create effective policies and allocate resources to restrict and combat drug abuse menace.
Alternatively, drug investigation strategies have relied on developing an active support network between drug enforcement agencies and community groups to reclaim neighborhoods afflicted by illicit drug abuse. Neighborhood crackdowns in liaison with communities that are gradually being plagued by drugs exemplify this approach.
Other drug investigation strategies include street-level drug law enforcement. The primary motive behind this technique is to disrupt open-dealing drug markets by adopting buy and bust operations, sales arrest, and arrest of users who venture out to buy drugs.
Bottom line
A drug investigation is carried out with the purpose of arresting drug dealers and those in the illegal dealing of narcotics. This involves investigating criminal and emergent gangs that now dominate the trade. Potential ramifications include incarceration, seizure of all assets, and other severe penalties. If you are concerned or in doubt that you may be under a drug investigation, a qualified and experienced lawyer can help you with some of the doubts and common misconceptions concerning drug investigation.
Drug investigations are based on information that drug investigation agencies gather about your involvement in drug activity. However, for you to be prosecuted, the drug investigation agency or a prosecutor must clearly establish beyond a reasonable doubt that you possess drugs and intend to transfer or trade them to another individual.