Drug dealers and peddlers across the world have developed rather ingenious ways to transport their 'stuff' without being detected. However, a 26-year-old US man decided to use an unlikely mode of transportation to move a controlled substance: the US Postal service.
Unfortunately for him, the package was discovered by authorities, and now, he faces serious jail time. Shaiquane Harrison, 26, a resident of York, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on Friday to the charge of violating federal narcotics laws. His sentencing is scheduled for 8 July 2022.
Moving Drugs through Mail
According to court documents, on 26 February 2021, the US Postal Service identified a suspicious package. It was bound for a residential address in Monessen, Pennsylvania. However, before that parcel could be delivered, a drug canine picked up on the presence of a controlled substance in the parcel and raised an alarm. Subsequently, law enforcement authorities obtained a search warrant in order to scrutinize the package. It was found that the parcel held over one kilogram of cocaine.
Following the discovery, a controlled delivery operation of the parcel—which was now fitted with an electronic transmitting device—was conducted by the authorities on 1 March 2021. Around half an hour after the package was delivered, Harrison arrived at the address in a rental vehicle. It was noted during surveillance that the 26-year-old was using a cell phone encased in a blue and white cover before picking up the parcel and heading back to the vehicle.
After retrieving the package, Harrison drove to another residence in the area; with law enforcement trailing him. However, after he entered the building, the transmitting device stopped relaying signals. This lead the authorities to believe that contents of the package were being destroyed. Therefore, they entered the residence immediately.
Caught In the Act
When the officers made their way in, Harrison was quite literally caught with his hand in the 'cocaine jar'. He was found to be holding pieces of the opened parcel. Upon seeing the authorities, Harrison fled from the residence. After making a quick stop at the shed behind the residence, he jumped over the fence. However, he was apprehended shortly afterward.
While conducting a protective sweep, the officers recovered the cell phone that Harrison had used earlier, outside the shed. A loaded 9mm caliber handgun was also found in a tire inside the shed. As a result of another federal search warrant on the recovered phone, texts notifying Harrison about the parcel's delivery were found.
Further analysis of the cell phone also revealed that Harrison had searched the parcel tracking number, thereby, learning of the delivery date. He faces imprisonment of not less than five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, or a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Currently, Harrison is on bond, pending sentencing.
