United States v. Earna Jean Pringle and Harold Elston

RONEY, Circuit Judge:

Defendants Earna Jean Pringle and Harold Elston appeal from their convictions for violating the federal drug laws. Defendants’ principle contention on appeal is that customs agents searched an incoming international package mailed to Pringle’s address from Thailand, in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution and 19 Ú.S.C.A. § 482, one source of statutory authority for warrant-less customs mail searches. Section 482 requires that the customs agents have “reasonable cause to suspect” that the item searched contains illegally imported merchandise.…