While much enforcement of drug laws is directed at users and small-scale dealers, the authorities are always looking to break up large networks of illegal drug trafficking. When police go after these networks, they often arrest dozens of people, some of whom may be quite distant from the operators of the network.
Maryland police said they recently broke up a large-scale drug ring that operated in several states. Police said they arrested a man they accused of being one of the ringleaders of the operation, and they have carried out a number of arrests and searches related to the alleged operation in the months since then. According to police, these searches have found 1,200 grams of fentanyl, 99 grams of heroin, 475 grams of cocaine, as well as firearms and other evidence.
Police said the network was tied to the Bloods criminal organization, but some of the people alleged to have taken part in the drug network may not have had any direct ties to the gang. One man arrested and alleged to have been involved in the ring is a suspended police officer.
It can be frightening to be caught up in one of these drug busts. A person who is accused of selling relatively small amounts of drugs can be lumped together with violent criminal gangs in the minds of the public, and possibly in the minds of a jury.
Everyone who is accused of a crime deserves a defense. For people arrested as part of a big drug enforcement operation, it is crucial to seek out help from an experienced criminal defense attorney, who can advise them of their rights and legal options to protect themselves and their futures.