answer from Rick Collins
I forwarded the question to Rick. This was his response.
Why not? Feds routinely make "undercover" drug buys; doing it by email is perfectly okay. If the delivery constitutes a crime (.i.e., importation of a controlled substance), the agents can enlist the aid of other investigative entities inside or outside the U.S. if appropriate. Exchanging information is commonplace. Now, the big questions raise issues of international criminal law. If he has conspired to import, what can be done to the foreign source? If he has not broken any law in his own country, can the U.S. authorities attempt to charge him and extradite him to the U.S.? And, also importantly, would they? I don't know. Personally, I've yet to see it. At some point I might speak with an international criminal lawyer about the treaties that exist and get his perspective.
W6