Drug crimes fall into different categories. Here are 4 of them

On Behalf of | Dec 28, 2017 | Blog |

At some point in your life, you might find yourself having to deal with a difficult predicament. If the situation is serious enough, law enforcement could become involved. Officers may suspect that you were involved in some sort of criminal activity, and as a result, you may now face serious criminal charges that you will need to address in an appropriate manner.

If authorities charge you in relation to drug-related activity, the specific charges could depend on the details of the situation. A variety of activities could constitute drug crimes. Therefore, you may wish to know the different types of offenses and understand what allegations could mean for your specific situation. Additionally, the specific crime of which you are accused may influence how you choose to approach your defense.

Possession

In order for drug possession charges to apply, you would typically have to be in possession of any illegal controlled substance. Some of those substances may include marijuana, heroin, prescription drugs that do not belong to you or cocaine. If you face charges for simple possession, authorities allegedly found a small amount of any substance that the appropriate testing reveals as a drug. If you face allegations of possession with intent to distribute, authorities allegedly uncovered significant amounts of an illicit substance or substances in your possession.

Trafficking and dealing

Though many people may think that drug trafficking and drug dealing are the same crime, they are not. Drug dealing generally takes place on a much smaller scale than drug trafficking. If authorities accuse an individual of trafficking, he or she likely had a substantial amount of alleged drugs for transport and distribution. Trafficking charges can come with harsher punishments than those for drug dealing.

Manufacturing

Authorities may level drug-manufacturing charges against you if they believe that you took part in producing an illegal substance. For instance, if investigators believe you were involved in manufacturing methamphetamine, you could face this type of charge.

Dealing with charges

As mentioned, the type of crime for which you now face charges may affect how you decide to handle your criminal defense. Therefore, you may wish to gain more information on the specific charges leveled against you and your possible legal options. You may have the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of strategies. Speaking with an Arizona attorney could allow you to gain reliable and applicable information specific to your case.