U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that there has been a noted increase in the number of cocaine and heroin seizures in the South Texas region in the past year. For example, the South Texas Corridor had a 177 percent increase in heroin busts and 129 percent increase in cocaine busts.
According to the CBP, smugglers attempting to get drugs into the country use a variety of tactics, including hiding drugs in their personal belongings, vehicle gas tanks, special compartments built into vehicles, bags of candy and even in shipments of fruit and vegetables. To fight the crimes, the Border Patrol has multiple approaches, including K-9 units and equipment used to detect the drugs.
Even though there has been an increase in drug busts over the last year, the number of apprehensions have decreased within the past few months. Even so, authorities noted that criminal organizations will continue to attempt to bring illegal drugs into the country through the border. Authorities also encourage the public to get involved and assist by reporting any crimes or suspicious activity they may see.
The state of Texas has many severe legal consequences when it comes to drug charges. If a person is accused of trafficking drugs, they could potentially face years in prison, probation and expensive fines. However, there are several types of defenses a criminal law attorney can actually use for such a defendant. For example, the lawyer could argue that the authorities conducted an unlawful search and seizure. There may even be evidence that the drugs were planted or that the drugs belonged to someone else.
