On October 27th, a British teen was allegedly found with 30lbs of cocaine packed in her luggage at a Florida airport as she was entering the US. According to The Telegraph, the teen was told she now faces the rest of her life in prison for drug trafficking since she will be tried as an adult – she turned 18 three days after being arrested.
The teen had arrived in Florida from Jamaica, and was attempting to catch a connecting flight to London, where US authorities believes she planned to sell the drugs. However, she was selected for a “secondary screening” by US Customs agents, at which time they state they found the cocaine packed into 24 cake mix boxes. The cocaine has an estimated street worth of more than $600,000.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle told The Telegraph, “This young woman had her 18th birthday in a foreign jail, far from her home and her family, because she thought she could smuggle almost 30 pounds of cocaine through Miami.”
Fernández Rundle went on to say, “Sadly, she almost becomes a poster child for how easily the drug trade can corrupt our youth.”
Drug Trafficking Penalties In Florida
Unfortunately for this British teen, she is being charged in Florida, which has some of the harshest penalties for drug trafficking in the US – especially since they have chosen to charge her as an adult, which generally carries even longer prison sentences.
In Florida, drug trafficking is punishable by a minimum of 15 years in prison, with a maximum of 65 years. It is a very serious crime, with very serious consequences, and as such should not be treated lightly. If charged with a drug related crime Florida, an experienced attorney can help protect your rights and advise you of your rights and options.
Andrew Moses
Andrew has been practicing criminal law his entire career. After graduating from law school he began working as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting cases in Orange and Osceola Counties. During his time as an Assistant State Attorney, Andrew handled all types of cases ranging from misdemeanors to such serious felonies as drug trafficking and armed robbery. His experience as a prosecutor helped him gain perspective of the criminal justice system and how the government established its cases.
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