Legal History:
Respondent Andrew Sukolow was stopped by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents at his arrival at Honolulu Airport, where agents discovered 1063 grams of cocaine in his carry-on luggage. When agents stopped Sukolow, they had knowledge that he paid 2,100 for 2 plane tickets from a roll of twenty dollar bills, he had traveled under a name which didn’t match in accordance with telephone number listed, and his original intended location was Miami. He was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The United States District Court of Hawaii denied his motion to suppress the cocaine and other evidence seized from his luggage, finding that the DEA agents had a reasonable suspicion that he was involved in drug trafficking when they stopped him at the airport. Respondent entered a plea of guilty to the offense charged. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed respondent's conviction by a divided vote, holding that the DEA agents did not have a reasonable suspicion to justify the stop. 831 F. 2d, at 1423. Supreme Court granted certiorari to review the decision of the Court of Appeals, 486 U. S. 1042 (1988), and reversed and remanded.
Facts:
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents stopped respondent on July 25 upon his arriving at Honolulu International Airport around 6:30 p.m. when couple went to get a cab, Agent Kempshall and 3 other DEA agents approached the couple, displaying his credentials, grabbing Sukolow by arm, moving him to sidewalk, and asked the respondent for his plane ticket and id. Sukolow said he had neither, and name of Kray was his mother’s maiden name. Agents knew, prior, that (1) he paid $2,100 for two round-trip plane tickets from a roll of $20 bills; (2) he traveled under a name that did not match the name under which his telephone number
