California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Sanchez, D074694 (Cal. App. 2019):
"[A] police officer who has probable cause to believe a dwelling contains evidence of a crime and has reason to fear imminent destruction of the evidence may enter the dwelling to 'secure' it without first getting a warrant." (People v. Seaton (2001) 26 Cal.4th 598, 632.) This rule is particularly apt in drug cases. "'[E]fforts to dispose of narcotics and to escape are characteristic behavior of persons engaged in the narcotics traffic.'" (United States v. Rubin (3d Cir. 1973) 474 F.2d 262, 268-269.) "[T]he possibility that evidence will be destroyed by defendants who have discovered
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government surveillance of their activities often has been recognized as a sufficient exigency to justify warrantless entry." (United States v. Edwards (1st Cir. 1979) 602 F.2d 458, 468.)
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