The Front Door

A detective of the Miami-Dade Police Department received an unverified tip that marijuana was being grown in the Defendant's home. One month later a joint DEA and Police surveillance team observed the home for fifteen minutes and saw no activity. A second detective brought a drug-detection dog on a six-foot leash to the Defendant's front porch. The drug dog gave a positive alert for narcotics at the front door. Based on the drug dog's alert, officers obtained a search warrant. Execution of the warrant revealed marijuana plants inside the Defendant's home. The Defendant was charged with trafficking in cannabis.