Over the last several years, international airports across America have enacted strict rules by which travelers must abide before they are allowed to board a plane. Between body scans and pat-downs from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the extensive bag searches, it’s hard to figure out how anyone gets away with criminal activity at an airport. But these hubs of travel are popular spots for drug crimes because so many people are coming and going at any given time, providing a convenient cover for drug users and sellers who try to get away with possessing drugs.
Distribution or possession of illegal narcotics is a serious crime no matter where you are caught and a conviction can result in hefty fines and long jail sentences. But if you are caught distributing drugs at an airport, or carrying drugs in your luggage or on your person, the process can be even more intimidating, and can increase the severity of the penalties you may be facing. Anyone caught with an illegal drug, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or illegal prescription drugs, will be immediately arrested and detained by the airport’s security.
Drugs in Newark Liberty International Airport
Every day, the TSA searches thousands of passengers traveling through airports like the Newark Liberty International Airport, and these searches are conducted with the most advanced technologies available. While the primary goal of the TSA agents at the airport is to ensure that all flights are safe from any threats, they are also on the lookout for illegal activities, and have teamed up with federal agencies to crack down on drug trafficking in Newark and across the country.
Because Newark is close to Philadelphia and New York, drug dealers often use the airport to smuggle in drugs that will be sold on the streets of these big cities. However, drug crimes at the airport can result in charges from the state and federal authorities with even more severe consequences. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency all combine efforts to track down drug dealers who use the Newark airport as a base for smuggling or moving illegal drugs.
If a person is caught with a large amount of any drug, he could be charged under the Federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 United States Code Section 952. This law states that it is illegal to “import into the customs territory of the United States from any place outside thereof (but within the United States), or to import into the United States from any place outside thereof, any controlled substance.” The Controlled Substances Act also makes it illegal to knowingly distribute, or possess with intent to distribute, any illegal narcotics.
Call an Attorney Right Away
At The Gorman Law Firm, we represent anyone who has been charged with drug crimes, either on the streets or at the airport. Drug trafficking is a serious crime, and can have lasting consequences on your personal and professional life. For more information on drug crimes and penalties at the airport, or to discuss your case, contact Scott Gorman, an Essex County drug defense attorney at The Gorman Law Firm, today.
Published in Categories: Drug Posession
