Misidentified as a Drug Mule

[Adraper]

This happened several years ago. The whole situation was odd. My girl friend (now wife) was attended a local college and staying in a dorm. She was an older college student in her late 20's who had tried college unsuccessfuly a couple times before, had given up for a while, and was then back fully committed to finishing. I was in my early 30's. I don't know why I felt the need to explain that. I guess I didn't want anyone thinking I was dating children.

Anyway when I would visit her on campus, I would park at nearby shopping center which was the width of one street off campus. That way I was not carrying a firearm on campus even if I was just driving through. One day I had parked, crossed the street to her dorm, met her and we walked back to the shopping center. We decided to get a quick dinner at one of the fast food places then drive somewhere else. I cant remember our planned destination. After eating, we walked to the car. I noticed a couple local PD cruisers in the lot which wasn't uncommon. This was a big lot with a couple restaurants, a college bar, and couple stores. The police liked to maintain a presence near the bar at the beginning of the semester.

As soon as I touched the car's door handle, they fired up, turned on thier lights and zoomed to me. "Please step to the back of the vehicle. Passenger stay in the vehicle". I did as I was told. "May I see your ID". "Yes" and handed him my ID. The officer seemed really tense. His posture and manner were stiff. The officer from the other cruiser stayed a good distance back. It wasn't the professional coolness you get at an efficient traffic stop. These fellows were worried about something. "I have a concealed carry license and there is a gun in the glove box" I said and handed him my other license. The officer's posture immediately relaxed a little. Frankly, I would have thought the opposite would have happened. There was a passenger who had not been ID in the car and so was a loaded weapon. He asked basically what I had been doing for the last hour or so. I told him. He motioned for the other officer to come over.

He gave the other officer my ID's and asked him to run them then told me that they had a call from someone that identified my car as carrying drugs. The tip identified my car not a similar car but mine and told where it was parked. The tip further stated they overheard a man and women on a cell phone in the fast food resturant frantically trying to get help because thier car had broken down in the shopping center parking lot and that they were transporting a shipment of drugs. Officer asked if he could search the car. I said yes. He didn't search it by this time he had determined that we weren't the drug mules. After my ID came back clear. He asked my girlfriend to step to the back and explained everything her and told us we could go. They never ID'd her. I honestly think having the CHL soothed that particular situation. Of course, I didn't have a gun in my pocket at the time having just walked back from campus.

[Thomas]

Officer asked if he could search the car. I said yes. He didn't search it by this time he had determined that we weren't the drug mules.

IMO, I don't care if you've never broken a law in your life, 99.99% of the time, you should not consent to a search. You never know if something slipped out of someone's pocket while catching a ride in the back seat (one of many examples). Do you think saying "I swear they aren't mine officer" is going to change the officer's mind?

[MasterOfNone]

The tip identified my car not a similar car but mine and told where it was parked.

Sounds like some dorm rat might have been jealous because she was going out with some old guy instead of him.

[speedsix]

...neat story...

[Maxwell]

You never know if something slipped out of your friends' pockets while catching a ride in the back seat (one of many examples).

If my "friends" have drugs or anything else illegal in my car they are not my friends.

[Thomas]

If my "friends" have drugs or anything else illegal in my car they are not my friends.

Agreed, edited my post. However that's the example I give to my friends/acquaintances as to why not to consent to searches. I think it is a much simpler explanation that they can easily understand.

[Rex B]

Officer asked if he could search the car. I said yes. He didn't search it by this time he had determined that we weren't the drug mules.

IMO, I don't care if you've never broken a law in your life, 99.99% of the time, you should not consent to a search. You never know if something slipped out of someone's pocket while catching a ride in the back seat (one of many examples). Do you think saying "I swear they aren't mine officer" is going to change the officer's mind?

+1 And that is real hard to do when you are on the side of a road, all lit up, with John Law asking. You really want to be seen as cooperative.

[Thomas]

Officer asked if he could search the car. I said yes. He didn't search it by this time he had determined that we weren't the drug mules.

IMO, I don't care if you've never broken a law in your life, 99.99% of the time, you should not consent to a search. You never know if something slipped out of someone's pocket while catching a ride in the back seat (one of many examples). Do you think saying "I swear they aren't mine officer" is going to change the officer's mind?

+1 And that is real hard to do when you are on the side of a road, all lit up, with John Law asking. You really want to be seen as cooperative.

"real hard to do" <> impossible. One just has to have enough forethought. Of course someone who never really thought about the implications or the 5th Amendment would say yes because they are pressured and don't have enough time to think through it logically. I'm going to be cooperative by doing everything the officer tells (not asks) me to do. Of course in 6.5 years of driving, I've only been pulled over once by a rookie cop that seemed flustered.

BTW, anyone know of a service that you can call on your cell phone, put your phone in your pocket, and have the service record the call? (Off-site backup as apposed to a recording just on the phone that could be lost, destroyed, or deleted.)

[Jumping Frog]

BTW, anyone know of a service that you can call on your cell phone, put your phone in your pocket, and have the service record the call? (Off-site backup as apposed to a recording just on the phone that could be lost, destroyed, or deleted.)

Yes, I have that setup as speed dial 9 on my cell phone.

1. Go to freeconferencecalling.com and set up a free conference call line.
2. You will also establish your online account with them at the same time, which allows you access the recorded calls later
2. When you set up the account, you get 3 numbers: the dial-in line (example:555-555-5555), the conference code (example: 222222), and the host ID (example: 11111).
3. Add that information as a cell phone contact. You have to insert "P" as a 1 second delay -- see your phone options.
4. Using the example numbers, use this type of format: 555-555-5555PPP2222222P11111P5*
5. The "P5*" at the end pauses a second then 5* starts recording the call.
6. After you hang up the call, you can access the recorded call using the online account you setup in step 1.
7. Every cell phone has a means of setting a speed dial option. Set this contact up to use the feature however is convenient to you.

[Thomas]

BTW, anyone know of a service that you can call on your cell phone, put your phone in your pocket, and have the service record the call? (Off-site backup as apposed to a recording just on the phone that could be lost, destroyed, or deleted.)

Yes, I have that setup as speed dial 9 on my cell phone.

1. Go to freeconferencecalling.com and set up a free conference call line.
2. You will also establish your online account with them at the same time, which allows you access the recorded calls later
2. When you set up the account, you get 3 numbers: the dial-in line (example:555-555-5555), the conference code (example: 222222), and the host ID (example: 11111).
3. Add that information as a cell phone contact. You have to insert "P" as a 1 second delay -- see your phone options.
4. Using the example numbers, use this type of format: 555-555-5555PPP2222222P11111P5*
5. The "P5*" at the end pauses a second then 5* starts recording the call.
6. After you hang up the call, you can access the recorded call using the online account you setup in step 1.
7. Every cell phone has a means of setting a speed dial option. Set this contact up to use the feature however is convenient to you.

Thank you for the detailed instructions

I poked around on the website and couldn't find any paid services that would offset the cost for the free services they provide. If I'm just using this in an emergency, then I don't mind them doing whatever they do to make it free. Maybe they start offering paid benefits after you sign up? Can you confirm that?

"If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold."

[Adraper]

I can see where you could get trapped with the search if they found something. I was sure at the time of the encounter that I had nothing to be concerned over.

[steveincowtown]

I can see where you could get trapped with the search if they found something. I was sure at the time of the encounter that I had nothing to be concerned over.

I am sure that I have nothing to worry about in my house right now as well, it doesn't mean that I am going give up my rights. I am nor more ashamed to exercise my 4th amendments rights than I am to exercise my 1st and 2nd!

Here is a great video, that myself and others have posted before (watch both parts when you have time).

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....hey, I am not anti cop, but I am pro Constitution!

[Purplehood]

If my "friends" have drugs or anything else illegal in my car they are not my friends.

That is a nice statement...but by then it is a little too late to decide who is and who is not your friend.

[TexasComputerDude]

If my "friends" have drugs or anything else illegal in my car they are not my friends.

That is a nice statement...but by then it is a little too late to decide who is and who is not your friend.

An example: back in my TSTC college days, I was driving a group of girls to Austin to hang out. (I don't drink but I like having fun so I'm the DD.) After we were leaving, I saw one of them with a bottle of corona in her hand. I ordered her twice to throw it away and not put it in my car. Well I thought she had done as I asked and we hit the road. About the time we got to Waco we got lit up by the state police because I was speeding. Thankfully the officer didn't search my car as this little girl had stuffed a bottle behind my seat. I found that out while cleaning out my car that night. fun times.

Not sure if I woulda gotten a ticket for that but I was MAD.

[Jumping Frog]

I poked around on the website and couldn't find any paid services that would offset the cost for the free services they provide. If I'm just using this in an emergency, then I don't mind them doing whatever they do to make it free. Maybe they start offering paid benefits after you sign up? Can you confirm that?

I've had the account for well over a year. I'll use the same line if I need to host conference calls at work, and a number of people I work with also have their own accounts.

I read somewhere at one time they made their money by exploiting some inter-phone company billing loophole by where they positioned their numbers. I''ve never been charged anything, I've never been spammed, and I don't think they sold my email address.