Understanding Drug Crimes

Drug-related offenses are punished very harshly. Any relation to illegal substances can be detrimental, and law enforcement will look at the amount of the drug in possession, along with the type. Different drugs are considered more damaging or addictive than others and are classified accordingly. These different classifications will also lead to different sentences if found guilty. Law enforcement agencies are constantly trying to crack down on drug-related offenses. If you have been charged with drug possession, possession with intent to distribute, drug manufacturing, drug distribution, drug delivery, drug smuggling, drug trafficking or other narcotics/drug offense, you could be facing serious penalties, such as:

Jail or prison time
Fines
Community service
Probation
Rehabilitative programs
Educations programs

Drug crimes can involve controlled substances such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, PCP, LSD, meth and crack. You can also face drug-related charges for "legal" prescription drugs if they were obtained illegally, sold illegally or otherwise misused. In fact, the number of prescription drug crimes is increasingly on the rise in the country.

Disputing Drug Charges

Being charged for a drug crime does not mean you have to be convicted for one too. In fact, there are a number of ways to defend accusations. One of the main ways involves the conduct of officers. Did they over step their bounds and take actions that were out of their jurisdiction, such as carrying out a search without a warrant. If they do so, often times the evidence that was found can be discarded.

In cases of possession, prosecution will need to demonstrate that the individual knowingly was holding the drugs, regardless of their intentions with them. Charges can be increased if it can be proven that the drugs were being held with the intention of selling them. The amount of drugs found will be a large determinant in the charges faced and those found with a low number may be able to avoid or reduce repercussions.