As an Omaha drug trafficking lawyer who has served the area for nearly two decades, Daniel Stockmann has seen a bit of everything. However, the latest trend has federal prosecutors worried, and it’s not just the influx of substances that has them concerned, but everything that comes with it.
The Government’s Attempt to Prevent Manufacturing Resulted in Trafficking
When methamphetamine use skyrocketed throughout the US some years ago, law enforcement struggled to curb it. Because most of it was being manufactured in home labs at the time, lawmakers placed tighter regulations on the base ingredients being used. Many will recall that in 2006, popular over-the-counter medications such as Sudafed went under lock and key, requiring individuals to show ID and pharmacies to follow additional protocols for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine products. Actions like this has curbed home labs quite a bit, but now methamphetamine is simply smuggled in across the border.
Federal Prosecutors Worry About the Crime Coming with It
“The Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico is believed to be the major shipper of methamphetamine that comes through and to Nebraska,” says Joe Kelly, US Attorney for Nebraska. Smugglers are bringing in meth, heroin, and other hard drugs. “There’s guns. There’s gangs. There’s violence,” reports Kelly. “There’s violence in Mexico and there’s violence locally when it gets here.” Adding to the concerns is the fact that cartels prey upon people who have dreams of making a better life for themselves and their families in the US. Human trafficking becomes and often deadly part of the mix as a result.
Multiple Charges Apply to those Caught
A drug trafficking charge is a felony, which can result in a full lifetime behind bars and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. However, it doesn’t stop there. Law enforcement almost always identifies additional charges that can be pressed, each with further years and fines. It’s also worth noting that lesser charges tend to be handled at a state level, but with something as serious as trafficking, the federal government often steps in.
Retain an Experienced Omaha Drug Trafficking Lawyer
Law enforcement is having trouble stopping this stuff at the border, which makes them that much more eager to seize it and make an example of those involved any chance they get. Particularly in Nebraska, where I-80 is a gateway to the east, officers patrol heavily, watch for anything that might give cause to pull someone over, and bring on drug-sniffing dogs to detect substances. Once a dog alerts officers that a substance might be present, officers are fairly relentless in searching for it. They’ve uncovered it in everything from canned goods to the inside of vehicle wheel axles—even when the substance is sealed in airtight containers. And, if law enforcement finds a large amount of an illicit substance in your possession in these circumstances, they will pursue every avenue to get you behind bars and keep you there. That’s exactly why you need an experienced Omaha drug trafficking lawyer on your side who has seen it all and knows which defenses work for any given situation. That attorney is Daniel Stockmann. To get your free consultation with Mr. Stockmann, complete the form on this page or call (402) 884-1031.
