(USPS requires a warrant based on probable cause to search a package for drugs. There is nothing special about drugs that need a prescription, with the exception of narcotics. While First-Class Letter and Package mail is covered by the Fourth Amendment and cannot be opened without first producing a warrant, no other mail classes are. The reason is that there is a fee associated with doing so. Yes, you can send over-the-counter drugs through the mail. Prescription drugs are not allowed to be sent through the mail by everyday citizens, even if the person sending them is the prescription holder. If drugs are found, a "controlled delivery" of the package will be conducted by undercover officers. If youre not transporting anything illegal and merely want to keep the container as ordinary and straightforward as possible discreetly. The purpose of the letter is to inform the intended recipient that an item placed in the U.S. You will get charged with illicit drug trafficking of Schedule 3 or 4 narcotics. As a result, the USPS may scan or x-ray parcels to protect either provision of public health & safety. So while you may not be able to see each step of the delivery process as long as the item is addressed and has postage you will get the package. Postal Service (USPS) aren't adhering to internal shipping guidelines after discovering illegal marijuana packages in the mail, and seized cannabis is being lostor stolenin the shuffle. Stick with beans and prints and one can pretty much guarantee the arrival of a package using the USPS as . Yes, even if you have an honest prescription for such drugs or pain relievers, you need the necessary license to ship. If youre thinking you should be scared, you are right. Many of our clients are completely innocent and need an attorney to explain their side of the story after someone tries to mail them drugs. Postal Inspection Service showed that they arrested 1,118 suspects and seized $4.78 million in assets related to investigations of drugs found in the mail. Answer (1 of 4): In order to understand this, you have to back up a bit. This is to avoid dangerous packages getting into government buildings. This will be your local law enforcement agency and the DEA (drug enforcement administration). New weapon in fight against opioid epidemic; Matt Finn reports from Chicago. Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Instead, they stumble across less experienced shippers of contraband. The mail is also checked by drug-sniffing dogs or X-ray machines. You are asked questions when you send them but that is the extent of it. 801971, then the mailing of any controlled substance through the U.S. And when investigated, those inexperienced shippers are the most likely to forgo getting a criminal defense attorney and offer up a full confession when the agents knock on their front door. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It is not legal advice. You can get in trouble if someone mails you drugs if: If someone mails you drugs and a law enforcement agency finds it, they will either: The penalty for receiving drugs in the mail is drug trafficking charges. Yes, you can get in trouble if someone mails you drugs. Seizures from the mail included more than 8,000 pounds of illegal narcotics and more than $3.5 million in cash and monetary instruments. Therefore, if youre looking to ship alcohol, we suggest going with either UPS or FedEx. If the dog alerts, then the inspector will likely engage the local drug task force to apply for a warrant to open the package, reseal it . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. "Regardless of what is actually inside your package, markings or labels for hazardous materials may result in delivery delays or a package return," the brochure stated. Postal Inspection Service offices nationwide. (everything You Need To Know), Is Amazon Prime Video 4k? Lets say you are receiving drugs in the mail from an out-of-state sender. The United States Postal Service (USPS) takes the use of its service for drug trafficking very severely as a federally associated entity under the Executive branch of government. We run out of free consultations every month. As part of the security conditions for this mail class, Registered Mail must be sent with proof of mailing which requires a trip to the Post Office (you cannot deposit your package in a collection box). This means that postal inspectors cannot search or seize first-class packages. The U.S. Although the United States Postal Inspector Service (USPIS) targets members of drug rings who use the mail to illegally traffic their product, they rarely catch those higher level players. although, the risk is relatively low that your parcel is ever shipped. 36,000 pounds (approximately) of marijuana in 2016. The USPS randomly scans shipments, this is more prone to come in significant urban areas or for objects that seem suspect. Postal Service at the address provided. It depends on the type of drugs and the amount. (all You Need To Know), Does 711 Drug Test? The United States Postal Service gives a helpful list of auspicious rates that they keep an eye out for. DO NOT go into USPS to pick up seized drug packages from the post office. What are characteristics of suspicious mail? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. All international packages arriving to the United States are screened by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Imagine if individuals were exporting burdened weapons or cases of poorly packed glass coffee cups daily. During Fiscal Year 2018, Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners seized approximately 96,668 pounds of mailed narcotics and other drugs and obtained 1,624 convictions for narcotics-related crimes. The agents know that getting a confession to a serious drug crime under state or federal law is more likely if you are surprised with a knock on the door. What are characteristics of suspicious mail? The Fourth Amendment protects the rights of the people. Who is the birthday girl in the Skyrizi commercial? If drugs are found in the package, an undercover police officer will dress as the mailman and deliver the package. If you mail alcohol, there is no guarantee that USPS will notice, but there is also no guarantee that youd get away with that. To be able to inspect a package, a postal worker or inspector must usually obtain a search warrant based on a reasonable suspicion that the package contains something illegal. If they don't hear back from the addressee in three weeks, they can open the package without a search warrant. What happens if USPS finds drugs in a package? To "seize" a parcel detached from its usual mailing cycle, law enforcement must have "reasonable suspicion.". Why would anyone write that on a package, it looks like it was written by a child or someone with mental health issues. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. Everything from useless to very accurate. The reality is, Informed Delivery is typically 1-2 days delayed and not all items that are scanned have a preview image coming up for it. However, inspectors are looking at the big picture, and so this factor, in conjunction with one or more of the others, means its time to bring in the K9 unit. There are no specific guidelines as to what may or may not be x-rayed, though mail sent to or through larger cities is likely to pass through an X-Ray machine. how to know if your package has been seized, how the police will deliver your package if its been seized. In other cases, a K9 drug dog might "alert" to a suspicious package. The appeal is governed by the Rules of Practice in Proceedings Relative to Mailability found in Title 39, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 953. The USPS has gone as far as to actually go undercover and arrest a number of individuals that were using the USPS as a medium for drug trafficking. USPS will send you a letter telling you that they couldnt deliver your package. The USPS says it will continue to strengthen relationships with law enforcement to address the threat of illicit trafficking in all aspects of the mail stream. USPS started to charge more to ship prescription drugs and other controlled substances in 2018. Can you picture this as a Postal Service advertisement: "USPS the preferred shipper for almost all drug dealers!". The US Postal Service does not hire criminals to perform criminal acts. After a criminal investigation begins dont make a statement to a law enforcement officer until after you have spoken to an experienced criminal defense attorney. USPS can "intercept" a package that they feel is suspicious. I understand that submission of an online form does not constitute an attorneyclient relationship. Hiring an attorney is often the best way to protect your rights and prevent the officer from coming to your home or work to interrogate you during the earliest stages of the case. Here are some things that USPS looks for: But it is not legal to mail prescription drugs. In fact, the vast majority of these cases involve a person sending a small amount of cannabis or marijuana concentrate through the mail. We represent small and large businesses in litigation, as well as business representation. Sending controlled substances through the mail (without a license) is illegal. The most important thing Ive learned from my studies and years of experience is patience. Learn more here. In most states, weed and edible penalties fall under different weights for penalties. Its both agencies because youre mailing controlled substances through the postal service. Yes, you can send over-the-counter drugs through the mail. If you are caught shipping edibles, you will get the same charges as if youre shipping weed. Basically, a controlled delivery is simply an undercover cop dressing up as a mailman, driving the mail truck to the address, and even delivering mail to neighbors to make the delivery seem more . Find out what happens when the USPS finds drugs, marijuana, or cannabis McKesson is the oldest and largest healthcare company in the nation, serving more than 50% of U . Select Sign Up For Free. Enter your address to determine if it is eligible for Informed Delivery. We represent clients throughout the State of Florida in these kinds of cases. So, if you tried to send a box of prescription drugs via Priority Mail, and someone heard them rattling around in their bottles, USPS could . It is considered to be private property belonging to the addressee. USPS entirely prohibits the shipment of alcohol, while FedEx and UPS allow for it with some restrictions. The postal service is a federal agency and youre shipping drugs across state lines. If you want the best criminal defense attorneys to represent you, fill out the form below. Read more about the seizure of currency from UPS or FedEx. The letter is sometimes sent to the sender orrecipient when other attempts to contact them to obtain additional information were unsuccessful. The postal workers scanning packages simply didnt get to it that day. 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