Drug Trafficking Defense Attorneys

• Drug trafficking is a pervasive offense due to the widespread occurrence of producing, manufacturing, and selling large amounts of illicit drugs and controlled substances.
• It is also dangerous because drug trafficking is routinely accompanied by other violent offenses such as the criminal use of a firearm, exploitation, and illegal labor.
• The FBI and other federal agencies not only coordinate their investigative efforts but have also expanded the way they investigate drug trafficking schemes by focusing not on the individual but instead on the enterprise.
• A charge of drug trafficking can result in substantial criminal penalties, jail time, disbarments, and other permanent record impairments as well as be an overall worrying time.
• Consider hiring an experienced defense attorney to start preparing your defense strategy and exploring your legal options.

Experienced Drug Trafficking Defense Team

If you have been charged or are being investigated for drug trafficking, now is the time to take prompt action in your defense and call an experienced attorney.

The FBI has recently determined and capitalized on the idea of investigating the entire criminal enterprise and all suspected entities involved when investigating drug trafficking offenses. This could result in more initiated investigations.

Agencies such as the FBI, for instance, often coordinate their investigation and prosecution with other agencies such as the CIA and DEA.

Contact us immediately if you think you may be the subject of a pending investigation. We can prepare an individualized defense strategy that best suits your situation.

A charge against you has the power to shut down your life’s hard work and your company. Do everything possible to defend your rights and career against unfair allegations of drug trafficking. We are here to help.

At Oberheiden, P.C., our drug trafficking defense attorneys routinely handle complex cases involving drug trafficking allegations. We are a prominent national law firm employing the most skilled and diligent defense attorneys specialized to help you and dedicated to your success.

Our attorneys include former FBI agents, former U.S. attorneys, and former prosecutors. This inside background gives us the unique ability to defend your case at every stage of the investigation and litigation process.

The stakes are high. Place an attorney from Oberheiden, P.C. on your side today to fight for your liberty and reputation.

What is Drug Trafficking?

Drug trafficking is a trade involving the production/cultivation, manufacture, and ultimate distribution and sale of illicit drugs and other controlled substances in contravention of a nation’s laws. It is often carried out through violent means such as with firearms, knife attacks, illegal labor, and frequently involves methods to target and exploit the young and vulnerable.

Organized crime groups often rely on drug trafficking as a major source of income. The profits from the sale of these trafficked drugs is fed into an illegal scheme and other criminal operations such as the criminal purchase of firearms or financing terrorism.

It is a crime that the government takes very seriously not only due the negative social consequences of procuring countless drugs into the territory of the United States but also because of the secondary criminal activities that are funded by the profits of drug trafficking sales.

The term “controlled” substance is governed by both state and federal laws. There are different levels or schedules under federal and state laws that classify controlled substances into categories:

• Schedule I Controlled Substance: the controlled substance is highly addictive, has no accepted or agreed upon medical use, and is not safe even if taken under medical supervision.
  • e.g., marijuana, ecstasy
• Schedule II Controlled Substance: the controlled substance is highly addictive, has medical uses, and may result in severe drug dependence by the user.
  • e.g., cocaine, heroin
• Schedule III Controlled Substance: the controlled substance has a low likelihood of being abused, has accepted medical uses, and may result in modern drug dependence by the user.
  • e.g., anabolic steroids, testosterone
• Schedule IV and V: the controlled substance has a low likelihood of being abused, has accepted medical uses, and may result in limited drug dependence by the user.
  • e.g., Valium and Xanax (Schedule IV); antidiarrheal and analgesic drugs (Schedule V)

In the following sections, we will explain some common examples of drug trafficking operations, investigations for such offense, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former Department of Justice

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA

John W. Sellers

Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice

Local Counsel

Joanne Fine DeLena

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Joe Brown

Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney

Local Trial & Defense Counsel

Amanda Marshall

Former U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Aaron L. Wiley

Former Federal Prosecutor

Local Counsel

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (OIG)

Michael Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Chris Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Examples of Drug Trafficking

Drug trafficking charges can involve or relate to the following:

• importing illicit drugs or other controlled substances

• supplying illicit drugs or other controlled substances to the general public or commercially

• possession with intent to supply or sell illicit drugs or other controlled substances

• assistance or management in the supply of illicit drugs or other controlled substances

• assistance or management in the cultivation or manufacture of illicit drugs or other controlled substances

• soliciting illicit drugs and other controlled substances for re-sale

• smuggling illicit drugs or other controlled substances into the United States

Drug trafficking can involve the production/cultivation, manufacture, and distribution and sale of the following drugs, as some examples:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Ecstasy
• Methamphetamine
• LSD

How Drug Trafficking Investigations Work

Federal law enforcement agencies have ramped up their efforts to increase investigations of illicit drug trafficking into the United States. Law enforcement has grown in the recent years to combat the rise in the production and sale of narcotics.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), established in 1982, is a federal program on drug enforcement overseen by the DOJ and Attorney General. Its mission is to intercept drug traffickers and prevent the secondary criminal acts and activities that usually occur with drug trafficking.

The OCDETF operates nationwide and uses the resources and specialties of the DEA and other federal agencies to accomplish its mission. Tens of thousands of arrests have been made under the leadership of the OCDETF, and hundreds of tons of narcotics have been seized worth billions of dollars.

Drug trafficking investigations and prosecutions are characterized by a great deal of coordination and cooperation at the federal, state, and local levels. Federal agencies such as the FBI, ICE, DEA, and Border Patrol organize their tactics along with a strong network of state agencies, the military, the police, and local agencies.

This addition of local enforcement agents greatly assists in investigative efforts, as they have the most knowledge of street interactions in their area.

All states also prohibit the production/cultivation, manufacture, and distribution and sale of controlled substances.

How To Select a Drug Trafficking Defense Lawyer

How to Respond If You’ve Been Charged/Arrested in Connection with Drug Trafficking

A charge of drug trafficking can result in substantial criminal penalties and jail time, not to mention the time and expense of a protracted government investigation. This could result in multiple challenges for you.

The federal criminal process can be very lengthy, sometimes spanning months or years. It is important for you to understand your rights and take prompt action. There are sometimes steps we can take to prevent or mitigate certain steps in the investigation process.

Do not divulge any information to a federal agent without first discussing with your attorney. Get a diligent and skilled defense attorney on your side to defend you.

The drug trafficking attorneys at Oberheiden, P.C. have the extensive knowledge and legal experience necessary to prepare your defense. Let us help you.

If you are charged and are seeking legal advice about drug trafficking charges, call us today or contact our office for a free consultation.