Spending time on Florida’s sunny beaches means strolling the shore, deep-sea fishing, and even recreational diving along the reefs. Imagine reeling in a giant fish only to find a huge trash bag filled with wrapped Nike bags. Or cleaning up the beach and seeing dozens of small Chanel bags. You should be wary of any suspicious packages along the Sunshine State coast because, upon closer inspection, the police opened hundreds of pounds of cocaine. These reported cases are happening more and more every year, and by the way, those are both actual cases that occurred in the Keys. Smugglers are working to send drugs into the country, and if you find anything like this, you need to call the police immediately.
A Recent Case in Key West
The recent cases in Key West sound like something from a movie, but the inspiration comes from real-life stories like these. Diving in the waters of Key West, divers found what they believed to be garbage littering the ocean floor. They cleaned it up, and when they brought it to the surface, they found dozens of tightly wrapped boxes with the Nike brand’s iconic logo on the front. All 25 boxes were 2.2 pounds of drugs that were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol. Drug traffickers are known to attempt to transport their drugs through international waters. The logos and strange “branding” are used to identify the shipment and the type of drugs inside.
Cocaine Packages and the Illusion of a Leisurely Find
Reaching across many nations and during six different cases, federal officials announced that more than 13,000 pounds of cocaine and 3,700 pounds of marijuana were offloaded during Fleet Week in Miami. With the combined efforts of the US and allied military units, they were able to deny drug trafficking organizations access to maritime smuggling routes and kept approximately $185 million in drugs off the streets.
The Complexities of Drug Smuggling and its Impact
Florida has become known for its drug smuggling and is known as a Drug Corridor. The physical access of Florida’s coastline is more accessible than the southern border and even more challenging to keep secure. Beyond the struggle with the coastline bringing shipments from boats, washing ashore, or even in self-powered submarines, there is the Highway I-75, also known as the Fentanyl pipeline. This highway runs from Michigan to Florida and has been identified as the primary source of drug trafficking, making it out of the state. One of the most severe drug-related charges in Florida is drug trafficking across state lines or national borders. If you happen across these suspicious packages and don’t report them, you could be facing drug trafficking charges.
The Risks and Consequences
Florida has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the country, and that rate is driven by nonviolent drug offenders. Florida has some of the harshest mandatory minimum sentencing laws, and these mandatory minimums target drug crimes the harshest. Another factor that sets Florida’s drug laws apart from other states is that they don’t differentiate between selling or not selling. Only the quantity of drugs found on you matters, and the greater the quantity, the higher the mandatory minimum sentence will be.
- Marijuana: 25-2,000 pounds 3 years in prison and/or $25,000 fine
- Prescription Painkillers: 4-14 grams 3 years in prison and/or $50,000 fine
- Meth: 14-28 grams 3 years in prison and/or $50,000 fine
- Cocaine: 28-2000 grams 3 years in prison and/or $50,000 fine
These mandatory minimums, while not distinguishing between drug lords and addicts, have the state prisons overrun with addicts who are charged with nonviolent drug charges who probably have never been to jail before this.
Facing Drug Charges in Florida
Facing a drug charge in Florida can seem daunting, but you may be able to avoid jail if your attorney can implement an exceptional and timely defense. You may think that a conviction is automatic jail time. An experienced drug defense lawyer in Key West may be able to fight the charges by presenting the right evidence or utilizing other defense tactics.
Even if you are convicted, some courts may allow nonviolent defendants to partake in intervention programs like:
- Attending substance abuse classes
- Drug rehab programs
- Regular drug testing
- Meeting regularly with probation officers
Navigating the Legal Currents | Garcia Law Firm
If you are arrested for a crime in Key West, you must speak to a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Speaking to an experienced legal team in the earliest stages of the case will set you up to get the most favorable results for you and your loved ones. Contact us today to help you navigate the legal process so nothing negatively impacts your case. Being arrested or charged with a crime can be frightening, and we give your family the best chance to get back on the right path. At Garcia Law, we proudly support our local community as a dedicated pillar of support.
