Drug Trafficking is the illegal criminal enterprise that entails cultivating, manufacturing, shipping, distributing and selling controlled drugs/substances in manners contrary to numerous state and federal drug trafficking laws. The underground black market of illegal drug trafficking is mainly controlled by violent drug cartels who oversee nearly every aspect of the trafficking process, including the smuggling of drugs from around the world. However, many individuals also participate in their own small drug trafficking operations, producing and distributing various types of illegal drugs for their own profit.
In the past ten years alone, around 600,000 people in the U.S. have been arrested for drug trafficking crimes. More than half of all federal prisoners are in for drug-related charges, and drug traffickers typically serve 85% of their jail time, compared to 54% served for violent offenders
Drug Trafficking Penalties
Drug Trafficking penalties are complex, as the offense is dependent on numerous factors, such as the type of drug, quantity of drug, whether or not an act of violence occurred and the number of prior drug-related offenses for the defendant. Federal drug trafficking charges generally are reserved for those individuals dealing with quantities of narcotics that constitute an enterprise-like situation intended for profit.
Possible Penalties
Incarceration penalties widely vary depending on a number of mitigating factors in each unique case, including the specific charge or charges , past criminal history, and associated other crimes
Fines range from a few dollars in very few cases to penalties ranging in multi-million dollars
Lengthy probation and parole periods following any incarceration period
Permanent criminal record, generally felony offenses
Drug Trafficking Sentencing
Sentencing for drug trafficking is usually dictated by mandatory minimum jail time and fine guidelines dependent on the quantity of the drug, violent or non-violent nature of the trafficking and prior offenses. If a defendant turns into an informant or delivers evidence against others, leniency can be had.
Drug Trafficking Charges and Legal Help
If you are facing Drug Trafficking charges, it is imperative you receive experienced legal help. Federal laws dictate harsh, lengthy jail sentences and huge fines into the millions. It can be your entire life on the line, and if you do not have representation, you could spend the rest of your life in jail with your entire life savings and all your personal assets seized. This could also mean your family and loved ones would lose their home and personal belongings. Quite simply, the “War on Drugs” has produced the harshest sentences on record for those convicted of drug trafficking offenses, and without proper representation, you will have the ‘book’ thrown at you.
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