United States v. Caliph D. Banks, A/K/A Leroy, A/K/A Kay

This appeal presents the question of whether an Express Mail package can be detained constitutionally until probable cause for a search warrant is established. The district court denied a motion to suppress the package. We AFFIRM.

I. BACKGROUND

On January 17,1992, a narcotics investigator with the Huntsville Police Department met with a confidential informant, whose past information had led to arrests and convictions of drug dealers. The informant gave the investigator a delivery notice for an Express Mail package that originated in Houston, Texas, and was addressed to Jay Rovey at 2908 8th…