Drug trafficking & supply

Drug offences range from possession at the lower end to large-scale importation conspiracies carrying sentences of many years. Prosecutions frequently rely on complex surveillance, telephone, and cell site evidence which requires careful and expert analysis.

Offences covered

I accept instructions in all categories of drug offence, including:

  • Possession of a controlled drug (Section 5(2) Misuse of Drugs Act 1971)
  • Possession with intent to supply (Section 5(3))
  • Supply or offering to supply a controlled drug (Section 4(3))
  • Importation and exportation of controlled drugs
  • Production and cultivation
  • County lines operations
  • Conspiracy to supply

Challenging the evidence

Drug prosecutions commonly rely on surveillance logs, telephone records, cell site analysis, and the evidence of undercover officers. Each of these can be challenged. Cell site analysis, in particular, is frequently oversimplified by prosecution experts. I instruct specialist defence experts where the prosecution evidence requires it.

Sentencing

Sentencing in drug cases is governed by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the relevant Sentencing Council guidelines. The class of drug, the role of the defendant, and the quantity involved all affect the sentencing range. Effective mitigation and an early assessment of role can make a material difference to the sentence imposed.

Frequently asked questions

Possession with intent to supply requires the prosecution to prove that you possessed the drug and intended to supply it to another. Supply requires proof that you actually transferred the drug to another person. Both offences carry the same maximum penalty: life imprisonment for Class A drugs.
County lines is a term used by police to describe the use of a mobile phone line to coordinate the supply of drugs from urban areas to smaller towns. Those involved face serious charges, often including conspiracy to supply.
Yes. A search conducted without reasonable grounds or in breach of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 may result in evidence obtained during that search being excluded. I will examine the circumstances of any search as part of my initial review of your case.