You paranoid, bro?

I've never smoked weed (primarily considering I'one thousand a nervous loser). For me, the hazard of getting in problem outweighs the reward of getting high. I know a comical result of smoking marijuana is paranoia, only some of us don't need bud to freak out (can I say "bud" if I don't smoke)?

When I imagine smoking weed, I tin't assist but imagine getting caught. Hither are a few of the weed-related scenarios that keep me up at dark:

  1. My shitty downstairs neighbor smells weed and reports me, causing the police force to raid my firm.
  2. My drug dealer is an hole-and-corner cop.
  3. An emergency occurs and I'm likewise stoned to react.
  4. I pull a Christopher Moltisanti and sit on a Maltese.
  5. My drug dealer gets caught, and I go downwards because my number is listed on their phone.

If you lot as well suffer from weed worries, I can offer you a bit of relief. I reached out to Jef Henninger, a New Jersey Criminal Defence force Chaser to ask, "What would happen if my number was found in a drug dealer's telephone?"

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The first thing Henninger tells me is that police force don't prioritize investigating drug dealers' phones. Drug dealers, he reminds me, get a lot of calls. Unless you're buying from Pablo Escobar (you lot tin't—he died in 1993) or a similarly meaning drug lord, information technology is unlikely government volition spend any fourth dimension digging through your dealer's phone.

According to Henninger, TV does non accurately portray the way police handle drug busts. Most of the fourth dimension, law enforcement doesn't fifty-fifty enquire dealers where they obtained their production.

"Police don't usually cast a wide net unless that was the goal in the kickoff. It'southward one thing if they're trying to take down a drug ring, but if it'due south a common drug deal, they don't typically try very hard to notice out where information technology goes or where it came from."

I wasn't convinced. "So, what y'all're saying," I ask, "is the chances of constabulary going through a coincidental dealer's phone at all are pretty slim?"

"Slim to none," he answers.

Permit'due south say police did dig through my dealer's phone. What might cause them to investigate me?

At that place are some factors that could make my presence in a drug dealer's phone appear suspicious. Henninger says the number of times I've called or the length of my calls might pique police involvement. Heavy telephone call volume could suggest that I'thousand actively involved in illicit activeness, as opposed to a casual friend or someone from Craigslist looking to buy a dearest seat.

Can police look through our text history? Evidently not. A phone constitutes a container (like a purse, computer or auto) and law would need my consent or a warrant to search it. At that place are some exceptions, of course—if at that place was an emergency or if police were engaged in "hot pursuit," it'due south possible prove could be moved or destroyed before a warrant was issued. Equally a general rule, yet, investigators demand probable crusade in gild to search personal items. Unless the doubtable is linked to a bigger crime, regime probably won't bother.

And lest y'all think yous can avoid any potential texting pitfalls by utilizing code words, think once again. Henninger says constabulary know all the codes, so swapping "an eighth of bud" for "viii altogether balloons" can all the same be used against yous.

Via Giphy/Pineapple Express

What do I do if police find my number in a drug dealer's phone and ask to question me?

Past this fourth dimension, you probably feel similar purchasing weed from a dealer is a fairly depression-central crime. Non I — weed anxieties still firmly in identify, I ask Henninger what I should practise if constabulary were to find me guilty past association and inquire to question me.

"The all-time thing anyone should do any time they're contacted by police is call a lawyer starting time," he advises. "The vast majority of people are convicted by their own words." Henninger tells me that every bit long as a customer hasn't confessed, the odds of winning a case are very high.

"Some people are just dumb enough to become in and say 'Yeah, I bought drugs from this guy,' or 'Yeah, I supplied him with drugs.' Thats how they actually take hold of their convictions," says Henninger.

What if I'm called upon to human activity as a witness against my dealer?

I pose this question to Henninger and I'm surprised when he responds with a chuckle. He tells me:

"Nigh drug cases never become to trial. They're won and lost based on whether the law violated your constitutional rights."

What he ways is that if the police exercise an illegal search or if they have a search warrant that ends upwardly getting thrown out, the case is over. Most drug cases that become to court involve a person who was caught red-handed. In these instances, the prove is generally so strong, there'south no need for witnesses.

The major takeaway? Police force requite very few F'due south about casual drug deals. I'm however crippled by drug neuroses, but if you're a recreational drug user, rest easy in the cognition that your text history isn't going to bring yous down.