Following a national investigation into the trafficking of methamphetamine, 44 individuals were placed under arrest, and 50 pounds of the alleged drug were seized. It is estimated that the drugs would be worth $1.4 million if sold on the street. It is alleged that the meth originated in Mexico, and was delivered to other parts of the U.S., including Polk County.
Nine of the 44 individuals arrested for these alleged drug crimes are currently being held in jail in Polk County. These individuals are apparently unlawfully in the U.S. In total, 85 felony charges and 50 misdemeanor charges have been levied against the individuals involved in this sting. These individuals had previously faced hundreds of misdemeanor and felony charges in the past, many of which led to convictions.
According to reports, some lawmakers in Florida want to see low-level drug offenders who have not committed any acts of violence be released from prison early or not be sent to prison at all. However, the Polk County sheriff has stated meth is deadly, making any trafficking of it an inherently violent offense.
As this situation shows, police in Polk County will go to great lengths to apprehend those they believe have engaged in drug trafficking, and they will not go easy on these individuals when prosecuting them for these alleged offenses. However, police overreach does happen and sometimes a person’s constitutional rights are violated. Moreover, sometimes a person has a viable alibi, and did not commit the crime they are accused of. There may be other defenses available to those accused of drug crimes as well. Ultimately, if it cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that a person committed the crime they are accused of, then that person must be found “not guilty.”
