San Diego Criminal Attorney Blog

Three San Diego teenagers were arrested at Harbor Island after authorities found 277 packages of pot hidden under the deck of their 22 foot boat. Customs and Border Protection have made similar arrests in recent weeks as a result of increased patrols off the San Diego Coast.

The El Cajon teens were returning from a fishing trip to Ensenada when they were detained.

Transportation of Marijuana is a felony. These cases usually occur near the U.S.-Mexican border. If the quantity of Marijuana is exceptionally large and the arrest is made by the DEA it turns into a federal offense.

Continue reading "Teens Arrested Off San Diego Coast With Half-Ton of Pot " »

A research study conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California's Steven Bloch revealed that the number of young female drivers involved in serious substance-related crashes has risen steeply since 1998. Bloch said that in San Diego County, intoxicated drivers between ages 21 and 24 saw the largest increase in fatal and injury crashes, up 124% from 1998.

In one 2007 case, a 23-year-old woman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine in a head-on crash that killed four people. She is currently awaiting trial on four counts of murder in connection with the crash.

Most people do not know that when the police have a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed and that there was a DUI for drugs or a DUI because alcohol might have been involved they may demand that you take a chemical test to determine if you were under the influence at the time you were driving. If you refuse, then the DMV may suspend your license for one year. An attorney from Pro Law Partners may be able to attack the refusal on several grounds. If, after a hearing, the DMV believes that in fact there was not a "valid" refusal, then your license will not be suspended.

With Colombian cartels in shambles, the Mexican cartels stepped in to fill the void. While the Colombian cartels still control most of the production of cocaine and heroin, the more profitable part of the trade - transport to the US, and distribution there - has come under control of various Mexican cartels.

Last week authorities arrested more than 50 people who allegedly work for the Sinaloa cartel. The Department of Justice revealed the arrests made were part of a 21-month operation by U.S. and Mexican officials which has resulted in the seizure of $60 million in cash, 24,000 pounds of cocaine, 1200 pounds of methamphetamine, plus other drugs, assets, and weapons.

Despite huge enforcement actions on both sides of the border, the Mexican cartels' trade is more robust and brazen than ever, law enforcement officials say.

Continue reading "San Diego Agencies Taking on Mexican Drug Cartels " »

The would-be robber who was killed in a shootout after he tried to rob an employee and shop owner at gunpoint had a criminal record that included drug and gun offenses. Court records show Michael Watkins Jr., 26, had been convicted of three felonies and spent much of his time in jail, on probation or in drug rehabilitation.

Continue reading "Robber Killed in San Diego Shootout Had Prior Offenses " »

A drug-sniffing dog found more than 68 pounds of cocaine stashed inside the back seat and in the rear bumper of a Volkswagen Jetta. The seizure occurred when a border patrol agent pulled over the Jetta near the agency's highway checkpoint.

While questioning the driver, the agent smelled an excessive amount of air freshener in the car, a common trick of drug smugglers to mask the odor of drug in a vehicle. Agents began searching the car when the drug-sniffing dog indicated there were narcotics in the car.

This is the fourth Border Patrol cocaine seizure along this stretch of I-15 in February 2009. The agency said the route is popular with traffickers bringing drugs from Mexico.

Continue reading "Border Patrol Agent Intercepts Cocaine on San Diego Freeway Checkpoint" »

A nationwide sweep by federal authorities resulted in 750 arrests, the seizure of $59 million in drug money and an estimated 23 tons of narcotics. The investigation, known as Operation Xcellerator, was a 21-month operation aimed at cracking down on the cartel's U.S. distribution networks.

As a part of the operation, authorities made arrests in San Diego's Imperial County resulting in the seizure of almost $10 million dollars. Local prosecutors said the operation dismantled six separate organized crime cells that were bringing in tons of illegal drugs across the U.S./Mexico border. Six suspected drug dealers now face terms of 20 years-to-life, if convicted.

Continue reading "Nationwide Drug Sweep Results in Arrests in San Diego's Imperial County" »

Oceanside authorities arrested more than 30 people, many of them gang members, after a six-month undercover investigation. Oceanside detectives and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) special agents went undercover to purchase crack cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and marijuana from street dealers.

The arrests resulted in the seizure of 500 ecstasy pills, more than a half-pound of crack cocaine, several pounds of marijuana and two ounces of methamphetamine. Oceanside police Chief Frank McCoy initiated the probe after receiving complaints about drugs being sold in downtown Oceanside. The people arrested are suspected of being violent gang members. Ralph Patridge, a special agent with the DEA's San Diego office, said six of those arrested have been charged with federal crimes. The others are being prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office.

Continue reading "San Diego Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Investigation in Oceanside" »