Misconceptions About Florida Drug Trafficking

Florida has a long history of drug trafficking within its borders, and because of this, drug crimes are treated extremely seriously, with long prison sentences and heavy fines. Because of the amount of controlled substances involved, drug trafficking is generally seen as the most serious of such offenses. That said, too many people labor under the misapprehension that trafficking is a charge solely levied against hardened criminals. Florida law means that any average person on the street may be charged with drug trafficking, if they fit the bill.

Not Only For Cartels

Drug trafficking is usually only discussed by the average person in an entertainment context, such as a gangster movie or on the national news. It is true that organized crime is still a problem in south Florida, with much of it revolving around the smuggling and sale of drugs – but the way Florida law is worded, it is possible for the average person to wind up in jail over one pill too many.

Florida’s drug laws are predicated on two factors: the type of drug involved in a person’s case, and the amount or weight of the substance involved. State law assigns a certain threshold to each scheduled drug, over which a charge stops becoming ‘possession’ of the drug and turns into ‘trafficking’ – the rationale is that over a certain amount, it cannot be assumed that someone is simply possessing drugs for their own personal use.

Know The Risks

Florida’s statutory threshold – the point at which possession of a drug becomes trafficking in a drug – will differ for each controlled substance, simply because it may require more or less of a substance to affect the average person. For example, a person will be charged with trafficking in cannabis if they possess more than 25 pounds or 300 plants – but a person can be charged with trafficking in MDMA if they possess 10 grams or more.

While this makes scientific and logical sense, it can be a rude awakening for a person who has never been in trouble with the law before, simply because the amounts seem so small. It is sadly not unheard of for a person to agree to sell pills once, out of desperation, only to be caught and sentenced to years behind bars, simply because they were unaware of the risks they were actually running.

Call A West Palm Beach Drug Trafficking Attorney

If you have been charged with drug trafficking in Florida, it is absolutely crucial to enlist a knowledgeable West Palm Beach drug crimes attorney as quickly as possible, so that you are fully aware of your situation and your options. The firm of Perlet & Shiner, P.A. have handled many of these cases, and will work hard on yours. Call our office today to speak to an attorney.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/STATUTES/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0893/Sections/0893.135.html