Three women face felony counts of drug possession, methamphetamine trafficking and conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine after being taken into custody during a sting operation in Florida on Aug. 5. The operation was organized by detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and investigators assigned to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force received a tip about drug traffickers from Georgia who planned to visit Polk County to distribute illegal narcotics.
Detective arranges to buy methamphetamine
After receiving the tip, a PCSO detective arranged to buy 2 kilograms of methamphetamine from a 43-year-old Georgia woman. When he arrived at the designated meeting place to complete the transaction, the woman allegedly told him that she could only supply a single kilogram of the drug. An ensuing search of the car the woman was using is said to have yielded a further 55 grams of methamphetamine. The seized drugs would have been sold for about $70,000 on the street according to law enforcement.
Women admit that they planned to sell drugs
During subsequent interviews, the woman and her two associates, who are also Georgia residents according to media reports, all allegedly admitted to knowing about and participating in the scheme. One of the women is said to have told detectives that she expected to receive an automobile in return for taking part. Another allegedly said that she agreed to sell drugs to clear a debt.
The importance of seeking legal counsel before talking to police
When criminal suspects believe that the evidence against them is overwhelming, they often confess because they believe cooperation is their best option. Experienced criminal defense attorneys could urge individuals facing drug charges to resist this impulse until they have spoken with a lawyer. This is because the evidence gathered by police is not always admissible in court, and negotiating favorable plea terms may be far more difficult for attorneys when confessions have been made and suspects have little more to offer.