When an individual is a passenger in a vehicle and a small quantity of drugs is discovered near them, they might not be arrested. If one is a passenger in a vehicle and drugs are discovered in the trunk they might not be arrested if the owner of the vehicle is in the vehicle or operating the vehicle. If they are in a home when officers arrive to execute a search warrant and the police discover narcotics, the individual may not be arrested if it is not their home and the officers do not have evidence or other reasons to believe the person is involved with the drugs found during the search and seizure.
When someone is present during a drug investigation, staying silent minimizes the chances that they face an arrest when police officers are investigating someone else for a drug crime. By remaining silent, they drop off the officer’s radar as a potential suspect in the drug case. It is a crucial step in avoiding an arrest when one is in a situation in which they have nothing to do with a drug investigation and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.