The United States Post Office handles more than 500 million pieces of mail every single day. Seizures from the mail included more than 8,000 pounds of illegal narcotics and more than $3.5 million in cash and monetary instruments. Under federal laws, drug trafficking charges for marijuana are up to: Lets say you are receiving drugs in the mail from an in-state sender. Then, they will physically and visually scan them. If youre thinking you should be scared, you are right. Some of the additional reasons that an indictment will be dismissed are listed below. (all You Need To Know), How To Pass A Mouth Swab Drug Test For Amazon (What To Know), Can Usps Open Your Packages? Packages nearly always arrive, tracking information is generally updated when products are checked, and if not, you may always register a claim! Advertisement Once the package is 'seized', it may be examined by a drug dog, and a warrant will be issued to open the package should the dog alert for the presence of drugs (typically, the post office will line up 6 packages, five which they know do not contain drugs,Read More An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 801971, then the mailing of any controlled substance through the U.S. 6. Therefore, if youre looking to ship alcohol, we suggest going with either UPS or FedEx. Each facility routes the package to the next facility based on the address and ZIP code on the package. Packages are scanned by little blobs when they go through an airport, but its not 100% accurate. What happens if FedEx finds drugs in a package? (all You Need To Know), Does Meijer Drug Test? Chat us for guest posts and personalized ads. Drug packages can be screened by postal inspectors. Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Everything from useless to very accurate. The reality is, Informed Delivery is typically 1-2 days delayed and not all items that are scanned have a preview image coming up for it. Find an article that discusses the number of people that attempt to get away with mailing cannabis through the United States Postal Service. Yes, even if you have an honest prescription for such drugs or pain relievers, you need the necessary license to ship. Check out marijuana legalities by the state to see your local weed laws. So while you may not be able to see each step of the delivery process as long as the item is addressed and has postage you will get the package. Yes, you can send over-the-counter drugs through the mail. Let us put our experience for federal seizures and forfeiture actions to work for you. Marijuana is a fairly straightforward process: the USPS applies the "Administrative Non-Mailable Protocol" to notify the addressee of the seizure of suspected marijuana. The most important thing Ive learned from my studies and years of experience is patience. In FY 2013, the U.S. After the marijuana is received, other participants will then distribute the marijuana to local customers and deposit the proceeds into a bank account through businesses that front for money laundering organizations. This article was last updated on Friday, June 10, 2022. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". If they don't hear back from the addressee in three weeks, they can open the package without a search warrant. How many packages get seizedRead More Yes, you can get in trouble if someone mails you drugs. Your cargo might have been delivered incorrectly. Can you picture this as a Postal Service advertisement: "USPS the preferred shipper for almost all drug dealers!". 2013 - 2023 Sammis Law Firm P.A. A promotional sample package containing a mailable over the counter, non . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Its both agencies because youre mailing controlled substances through the postal service. If your currency was seized, we take the case on contingency so that you dont pay any attorney fees unless we get your property back. Specially trained inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service lead the charge in package inspection. 8. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. To avoid having your box flagged by the USPS, you need to cover all signs of drink on the receptacle, such as terms like wine or v-dka, and any pictures of wine glasses. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The Postal Inspection Service typically runs drug-mail investigations, but sometimes the DEA or ATP provides resources. Postal Service (USPS) aren't adhering to internal shipping guidelines after discovering illegal marijuana packages in the mail, and seized cannabis is being lostor stolenin the shuffle. Packages are shipped from a different postal code than what is shown on the return envelope. State police used a drug-sniffing dog on May 4, and the dog "positively alerted" on the packages, the complaint said. As part of the security conditions for this mail class, Registered Mail must be sent with proof of mailing which requires a trip to the Post Office (you cannot deposit your package in a collection box). Is Mail X-Rayed? Federal workers at the U.S. Here is what you should be doing if that happens. Your attorney can explain the reason that you didnt know that the drugs, marijuana, currency or other contraband were being shipped to your residence or place of business. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. The goal of the face-to-face meeting is to get the person to admit that they were expecting a package and knew it contained the specific type of contraband found. How do I enable in-stream ads on Facebook? how to know if your package has been seized, how the police will deliver your package if its been seized. While misdirected USPS shipments are often returned to the sender, you may lose money and have to submit a payment claim if you do not need an exact memory location. The agents can also investigate the payment methods used to ship the items. Registered Mail is the most secure way to send a package through the USPS. And both federal and state laws will apply to your drug trafficking charges. Your tracking information will get updated to say Package Seized By Law Enforcement.. CANNABIS 101 Mailing Cannabis Through the USPS? Once they have intercepted it, they will contact law enforcement to come to check it out. by Matthew Buck - Red Law LLC | Dec 14, 2019 | News Article |, A frequent question that I am asked is some variation of I was sending marijuana/shatter/oil/drugs through the mail and, A) I got a letter from the post office saying theres been a problem with my package, B) The guy I sent drugs to didnt get the marijuana I sent, C) I got a call from the USPS telling me to call them about a package I sent, and it was my marijuana. Find out the penalties for violating the law. Mailpiece is leaking an unknown powdery substance. Say you arent a member of a drug cartel; youre just an average citizen living in California, who wants to send their friend in a neighboring state a bag of weed gummies for their birthday. It is far more probable that USPS will identify your delivery as suspicious and move to X-Ray the box as soon as possible. Since the Postal Service was started, criminals have endeavoured to use it for malicious purposes. According to Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm, PLC, a criminal defense law firm, these include: As packages are scanned on their journey to the destination, little blips like a name that doesnt match an address are suspicious. Prescriptions drugs can only be sent through the mail by approved vendors and they have to have the approval of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The United States Postal Service gives a helpful list of auspicious rates that they keep an eye out for. The package will also go through customs and scanners, but more on that, find out below in this article. When you get caught mailing weed, the potential federal laws that you may break are: (i.e., FedEx can get considered as a co-conspirator if they get caught mailing weed. Drugs and other illegal contraband is frequently sent through the U.S. Mail or through a private shipping service such as UPS or FedEx. What Happens If USPS Finds Drugs in a Package? As your package moves, it must go through several sorting facilities. During Fiscal Year 2018, Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners seized approximately 96,668 pounds of mailed narcotics and other drugs and obtained 1,624 convictions for narcotics-related crimes. Lets say that you were not mailing illegal substances. U.S. Do not answer any questions, in fact, do not speak except to invoke your right to have an attorney present. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This application will no longer be available for download on your mobile device. You have such easy access, so why not share? Here is what you need to know, so you dont go making this mistake! Any individual shipping prescriptions will get charged with drug trafficking. This makes getting an accurate reading of your shipment and how quickly its travelling challenging. USPS categorizes prohibited . These crimes include mail theft, mail fraud, financial fraud, identity theft, robberies and burglaries of postal facilities, assaults and threats on postal employees, investigations of dangerous and prohibited mails, narcotics, cybercrime and much more. The Law Office of John Guidry writes that one way inspectors can have reasonable suspicion is to line up six boxes: the one that looks shady, plus five that do not contain any drugs. And just like travelers have to go through customs, so do . What happens if USPS finds drugs in a package? Narrator: About 1 million packages arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport every day. The Postal Service's tracking system shows the scans to the sender and recipient. Call us to schedule a time to talk with the attorneys in the office or over the phone. they wish to make arrangements for the sender to retrieve the mail piece. Tracking will not tell you if it has been seized, but you would get a letter from customs stating that your package contained illegal items, was seized, but all other legal items were returned to the package. Whether you send drugs or another banned substance through the U.S. postal system or a private carrier, it is always illegal. While the US Postal Service assures the quickest shipment possible to establish its size and breadth, it should also be diligent regarding security. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Dnd Spells FAQ. Furthermore, your unwitting friend, who maybe didnt even know they were the intended recipient of such a parcel, can also be arrested as its also illegal to receive mailed drugs. An item containing a postmark which does not match the return address or bears an excessive amount of postage. Go to informeddelivery.usps.com. What are characteristics of suspicious mail? Postal workers may well be notified of a suspect shipment, ultimately singled out in some situations. The agency's failure to take steps to cover up the plant's pungent smell is a key reason. It begs the issue of whether USPS scans parcels. You will get charged with illicit drug trafficking of Schedule 3 or 4 narcotics. Advertisement Postal inspectors can screen packages to check for drugs like marijuana and other substances. Effective crypto trading habits to adopt in 2023, How Marketing Automation Can Increase Marketing ROI, What Does 4 Fingers Mean in General, Tiktok & Snapchat | Holding it up, How to Remember Every Game of Thrones Character. Learn more here. The potential penalties double for a second offense - up to ten years and a fine of up . 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If drugs are found, a "controlled delivery" of the package will be conducted by undercover officers.Basically, a controlled delivery is simply an undercover cop dressing up as a mailman, driving the mail truck to the address, and even delivering mail to neighbors to make the delivery seem more believable. If you are not shipping illegal items, then it was intercepted for mailability determination. Generally there is no reason for postal workers to look in your package. The sound, especially if you plan to mail glass bottles, may alert an experienced postal worker. The venders dont want the packages tracked back to them. Top Five People Search Sites: A Complete Review, AssignmentCore: Pay Experts to Do Your Programming Homework, What to Look for in a Personal Injury Lawyers Qualifications, Why is it important to monitor your blood pressure at home, Health implications when traveling abroad for the elderly, Considering an FLR? We also represent criminal defendants accused in federal and state courts related to marijuana and other substance abuse charges. When the Postal Service takes in an item, they must have specific factors they look for to determine if what theyre taking in is legal or not. The Postal Services goal is to scan all barcoded mailpieces (flats, letters, and packages) that enter the mailstream and track those items with additional scans up to the point of delivery. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. What Qualifies a Package as Suspect in the Eyes of USPS? The mailmen themselves do not perform the search and arrest, but rather they merely transport the suspect to a law enforcement officer. Law enforcement will bring drug dogs to determine if USPS found drugs in a package. This is to reduce the risk of the prescription being altered by the person filling them. While the Fourth Amendment protects First-Class mail from being read without a search, the consequences shipping forbidden materials is a crime are not worth the risk. A package's outward form and weight may always be examined without reasonable suspicion of criminal . To find prohibited items such as U.S. Currency, the police might look for packages that are heavily taped, vacuum-sealed, or use insulated bags or foam insulation. This will be your local law enforcement agency and the DEA (drug enforcement administration). For cases in Florida and the greater Tampa Bay areas, contact us to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss the case in our offices. In some cases, an employee at FedEx or UPS will call the police to alert them to a suspicious package. Included more than 8,000 pounds of illegal narcotics and more than 8,000 pounds of narcotics! The risk of the prescription being altered by the state to see your law... 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