Yes, police officers can search a car if they say they smell drugs. And, it doesn’t take a dog! First, the US Supreme Court ruled in the 1981 case of New York v. Belton that when an officer has reasonable suspicion that a person is committing a crime, they are legally allowed to search any area within the person’s immediate reach and control. Also, the North Carolina Supreme Court has long held that the smell of marijuana alone is sufficient to provide probable cause for a search. Such a search could be broader than one based on reasonable suspicion, because […]
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