Drug trafficking involves the buying, selling, or distribution of illegal drugs. It can be a crime punishable by prison time, fines, and other consequences. Drug trafficking often is a part of larger criminal networks, and it can contribute to violence, corruption, and social instability. Criminal groups that engage in drug trafficking often use money laundering techniques and other tactics to hide the proceeds of their crimes.
The types of drugs that are trafficked vary, but they include heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and prescription painkillers that are not being legally prescribed. Drugs are smuggled across borders and into local neighborhoods in many ways, including by air, sea, and mail services. Criminals have become more inventive about disguising the contents of their drugs, making it difficult for law enforcement officials to detect them.
Criminals may engage in drug trafficking for their own personal gain or as a way to fund other criminal operations, such as extortion, burglary, and robbery. The drug trade can also lead to a higher rate of addiction by making controlled substances more accessible to the general population.
If an individual is charged with drug trafficking, a defense attorney can raise several issues that could undermine the prosecution’s case. For example, a lawyer can argue that the evidence was improperly obtained, such as by arguing that an officer conducted a search of the defendant’s vehicle without a warrant or other justification. They can also argue that the defendant did not have actual knowledge of the underlying offense, under a doctrine known as willful blindness.
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