Illinois State Police pulled over a vehicle with two women, ages 47 and 19, on Interstate 70 by Collinsville because of driving with an obstructed view. As the owner of the 2013 Volkswagen CC, the 47-year-old woman consented to a police search of the car. A state trooper reported finding a hidden compartment where six duct-taped packages allegedly holding heroin were stowed. The packages weighed four kilograms. Police estimate the value of the seized substance at approximately $500,000.
The vehicle also contained roughly $1,500 in cash, and the police agency has filed the seizure of forfeiture paperwork to take possession of the money. State law enables law enforcement to keep assets considered to be derived from the selling of drugs.
The woman who owned the car has already appeared in court at a preliminary hearing. Authorities charged her with trafficking a controlled substance and the intent to deliver over 900 grams of heroin.
A person in a situation involving drug charges could gain guidance from a criminal defense attorney when appearing in court and making decisions about how to respond to questions. An attorney might also take actions to defend the person from the fines and prison time that could result from a conviction. If the client wants to entertain the possibility of accepting a plea deal, an attorney could negotiate with the prosecutor and strive to get reduced charges and a lenient sentence. Alternatively, an attorney might find that law enforcement violated the client’s rights during a traffic stop or search. An infringement of rights could enable the attorney to ask for evidence to be excluded from the case, which might result in a case dismissal.
Source: BND, “State police find $500k worth of heroin during routine traffic stop“, Kaley Johnson, June 23, 2017
