Police in South Carolina are always on the search for residents who may be using or selling drugs. One of the most common ways people wind up with drug charges is through a traffic stop. In many cases, police do not have any previous suspicion of a person when they make contact and carry out an arrest. An officer may be pulling the vehicle over for a traffic violation or operating on his or her own agenda.
In Riverside, a man was arrested on marijuana charges after the vehicle he was riding in was pulled over by police. The initial report did not indicate why the Southampton Town police had pulled the vehicle over in the first place, though the officer conducting an interview of the vehicle’s occupants reported that he smelled marijuana coming from the car. When the officer pressed the vehicle’s occupants on the subject, the passenger said he had marijuana in his jacket.
The officer arrested the man and reportedly found additional drugs on his person, including pills and heroin. The man was charged with two counts of possession: one for the marijuana and one for controlled substances.
If you have been arrested and charged with a drug crime, you should understand your rights. An officer performing a traffic stop and search of a person or vehicle must follow specific procedures to remain within his legal boundaries, and an examination of your case may find that you were unlawfully searched or detained. Learning about South Carolina law can help you take the next step in the legal process. In some cases, you may have the charges against you reduced or dropped altogether if police acted unlawfully.
Source: Riverhead News-Review, “Southampton Blotter: Riverside man faces drug charges,” March 28, 2014
