Once a container has been found to a certainty (through legal means) to contain illicit drugs, the contraband becomes like objects physically within the plain view of the police, and the claim to privacy is lost.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is true under the plain view doctrine, which allows police officers to seize evidence if they have a lawful right to be in a position to observe it, if they have probable cause to believe that the evidence is connected to criminal activity, and if they immediately recognize the evidentiary significance of what they see. Once the police lawfully obtain plain view of the contraband in a container, the owner of the container has no claim to Fourth Amendment protection against warrantless seizure of the contraband.

Once a Container Has Been Found to a Certainty (Through