In Georgia, drug charges may begin with a traffic stop if a police officer is citing a vehicle for a violation when they observe evidence of drug possession. A well-known rapper and his friend were recently arrested for drug charges, weapons charges and traffic offenses. This case can serve as an example that anyone can be arrested, and a legal defense is needed to combat the charges.
Playboi Carti, a rapper whose given name is Jordan Carter, was arrested after his Lamborghini was stopped by police because the license plate tag had expired. As the officers investigated Carter, they reportedly found various drugs including prescription medications and marijuana. Also found in the vehicle were three guns.
Following his arrest, Carter was released. The charges he faces include the license plate violation, a traffic violation for improper passing of an emergency vehicle and possession of marijuana. There was also a 21-year-old man, a California resident, in the vehicle. He was handed down various charges for the guns and drugs and remained in custody with no information about his bond available.
This case involving the rapper and his companion highlights the importance of ensuring that police had legal cause to stop a vehicle and search it. When dealing with criminal charges, it is wise to have legal advice from the beginning. This is true no matter who is charged and what they do for a living. There are multiple ways to lodge a criminal defense, including calling into question the justification for the traffic stop, assessing the search and whether it was legal, and disputing the evidence itself. For those who are arrested for drug charges, gun charges and other crimes, it may be beneficial to have legal assistance from the start to protect a defendant’s rights.