What is drug trafficking?

Drug trafficking in South Carolina carries some of the harshest punishments for drug-related crimes. If you’re convicted of drug trafficking, you could spend years behind bars and pay thousands of dollars in fines. Depending on the situation, you might also incur additional charges like drug possession and drug manufacture.

What is the definition of drug trafficking?

Drug trafficking involves selling or transporting illegal drugs like meth, cocaine or heroin. Some traffickers also import illegal drugs from other countries. In any case, drug trafficking is a federal crime that can put offenders in prison for decades. This charge can also be added onto existing drug charges; for example, if you were caught possessing heroin, you might be charged with possession and trafficking if the police believed that you intended to sell the drugs.

As for the severity of the charges, that depends on several factors. Your sentence could be different depending on how much you possessed, what kinds of drugs were in your possession, the location of a drug sale and whether minors were involved. The average sentence is about five years in prison, but you could be looking at decades if you were involved in a major drug ring. Regardless, it’s important to hire an criminal defense attorney to manage your case.

Is it possible to get out of major drug charges?

No one can say with certainty what’s going to happen in a criminal trial, but if you have an attorney on your side, you may have a better chance of getting your charges reduced. Your attorney may be able to argue for alternate sentencing like drug rehabilitation instead of jail time. They might help get your sentence reduced so that you don’t have to lose the next several years of your life sitting in prison.