If past years are any indication, we can expect several new drug arrests at the border at Frontier/Northport and Nelway in Stevens County and Pend Oreille County, Washington.
The Shambhala Music Festival at the Salmo River Ranch draws thousands of visitors through our area. The festival features electronic music and lasts 4 days starting in early August every year. At our firm we have represented dozens of people over the years who have been accused of various crimes related to border searches. In Washington state and in Canada, marijuana has been decriminalized but it is still illegal under U.S. Federal law. So if someone has any product that contains THC or cannabis extract, they can expect questions on that for sure. At the international border crossing, an agent does not have to have any probable cause to conduct a search. Search of a vehicle can be done as a matter of routine. However, It does seem to us that individuals who are concert-goers do seem to alert the suspicion of border agents. In police reports that we have reviewed in years past, we have seen references to investigations that "target" people heading to the Shambala Musica Festival. Although occasionally, we have seen instances where people have brought heroin or cocaine to the music festival, most cases we have seen involve ecstasy (MDMA) or ketamine. The possession of any such drugs is a felony under Washington state law. We encourage people with questions about their case to contact us if they have any questions.
