It needs to be said again: When it comes to marijuana, Florida is not Colorado.
Just the other day, Florida police acted on an anonymous tip that led them to a home in the Miami area where they found a doghouse covering a crawl space that led them to over 60 plants and 50 pounds of marijuana.
The couple who owned the house were arrested and now face charges of drug possession and trafficking within 1,000 feet of a school. Their bail was set at $43,000! That is one expensive doghouse.
Operating a marijuana grow house in the state of FL can lead to serious legal consequences. Drug cultivation and drug manufacture charges are often enhanced by additional charges. When the weed is sold the cultivators can face state or federal charges of drug trafficking. On top of that, if a gun is found on the premises of a marijuana grow house, the home’s owner(s) can be charged with armed trafficking. The good news is, with the proper legal advice you can get to the bottom of the investigation. Did the police use a valid warrant during the search? Was the person who tipped off the police a reliable source?
It’s important to understand that a violation of a suspected grow house operator’s Fourth Amendment rights, which relate to unreasonable or unlawful search and seizure, may have occurred if the law enforcement’s tactics and procedures were not followed to the letter of the law. A defense lawyer with a successful track record in handling drug cases, may be able to reduce or even dismiss the charges by arguing that any evidence obtained under such questionable conditions should be suppressed prior to trial.
Until the day comes when marijuana is declared legal, having a grow house can lead to growing legal concerns.