Savannah Drug Trafficking Lawyers

A drug trafficking charge can come as a shock, especially if police never accused you of selling anything.

In Georgia, the amount of a controlled substance can be enough to trigger a trafficking charge. That means a case that starts with drugs found in a car, home, bag, or hotel room can quickly become much more serious than simple possession.

At Phillips Carson Phillips, we defend people facing drug trafficking charges in Savannah and throughout the surrounding area. These cases can carry long prison sentences, so the details of the arrest matter from the beginning.

What Makes a Drug Charge Trafficking Under Georgia Law?

You do not have to drive drugs across state lines to be accused of trafficking. Georgia law sets specific weight thresholds for different controlled substances. If police say you possessed enough of a drug to meet one of those thresholds, prosecutors may file a trafficking charge even if there is no allegation that you sold the drugs.

For cocaine, that threshold begins at 28 grams. The same 28-gram starting point applies to methamphetamine and amphetamine. Marijuana trafficking generally involves more than 10 pounds. What police found and how much it actually weighed can change the case considerably.

How Drug Type and Weight Can Affect Your Charge

Drug weight is not a small detail in a trafficking case. Georgia divides some trafficking offenses into different levels based on quantity. A few additional grams can mean a much longer mandatory prison sentence.

Different drugs have different thresholds and penalties. Before making decisions about your case, you need to know the exact substance, the laboratory weight, and which part of the statute prosecutors are relying on.

What Penalties Can Follow a Drug Trafficking Conviction?

Trafficking is a felony, and the possible punishment can be severe. Depending on the drug and quantity, you may be facing a mandatory minimum prison term along with a substantial fine. Larger quantities generally bring harsher sentences.

Federal prosecutors may also become involved in some cases. A federal case can include trafficking allegations along with charges such as distribution or conspiracy. Do not assume your sentence will look like someone else’s. Two people arrested with different drugs or different amounts can face very different penalties.

How Searches and Seizures Can Affect the Evidence Against You

Trafficking cases usually begin with a traffic stop or search. Maybe police opened the trunk of a car. Perhaps they searched a house where several people lived. Drugs could have been found inside luggage, a closet, or another place that more than one person could access. The circumstances of that search deserve attention.

Police generally need a lawful reason to stop you and a legal basis for the search. If they relied on a warrant, the warrant itself may need to be reviewed. If they did not have one, your lawyer can look at the reason they claim allowed them to search anyway. Evidence obtained through an unlawful search may sometimes be challenged in court.

Which Defenses May Apply to Drug Trafficking Charges?

Finding drugs nearby does not always prove they belonged to you. If several people were in a car, apartment, or hotel room, prosecutors may still need to show that you knew the drugs were there and had control over them. That can become a major issue when the drugs were not found directly on you.

The substance and weight may also be questioned. Laboratory testing, packaging, evidence logs, and the way police handled what they seized can all matter. Your defense should be based on what happened, not simply on the charge written on the arrest paperwork.

How a Savannah Drug Trafficking Lawyer Can Fight Your Case

A trafficking case may involve police reports, laboratory records, body camera footage, search warrants, phone records, and statements from several people.

We can go through that evidence and look at where the state’s case is strong and where it may have problems. We can also examine whether police had the right to conduct the search and whether prosecutors can actually connect you to the drugs.

Phillips Carson Phillips handles serious criminal cases in both Georgia and federal courts. If a case needs to be tried, our attorneys are prepared to take it before a jury.

Defend Yourself Against Charges With Phillips Carson Phillips

A trafficking charge does not mean the state has already proven its case. If you have been arrested, bring us the paperwork you received and tell us what happened before police found the drugs. Details about where you were, who else was present, and how the search happened may matter. Call Phillips Carson Phillips at (912) 232-0081. You can schedule a free consultation about your drug trafficking case.