Drug charges—no matter the type—always have serious criminal fines and penalties associated with them. If you have been charged with a Calgary drug crime, it is essential that you seek experienced legal representation in your case.

At Bourdon Defence, we understand that drug convictions carry serious criminal penalties along with them. The knowledgeable criminal defence lawyers at Bourdon Defence can advocate for you throughout your case, obtaining an acquittal of the charges or helping you obtain a charge reduction or reduced penalty upon conviction.

Our lawyers have collectively represented thousands of criminal defendants over the past 15 years and are prepared to provide you with aggressive, result-oriented legal representation in your case.

Summary Conviction or Indictable Drug Charges

Drug crimes are classified under the law as either summary conviction or indictable, depending on the classification of the drug, the amount of the drug at issue, and whether the defendant is charged with simple drug possession, drug sale, or drug distribution. All of these factors may play a role in determining a criminal defendant’s likely sentence upon conviction.

Categories of Drug Crimes

Drug crimes are usually classified into the following categories:

Drug possession crimes: where the drugs are either found directly on the defendant’s person or in the defendant’s immediate vicinity

Drug possession with the intent to distribute: where the drugs found are of a sufficient quantity to presume that the defendant intended to sell or distribute them; this is especially true in cases where drug paraphernalia, such as scales or other drug measuring or packaging devices, are found along with or near the recovered drugs

Drug trafficking crimes: usually where the drugs that are found and recovered weigh a certain amount

Penalties upon Conviction

The potential penalties upon conviction for a drug crime depend largely upon the drug classification, the type and quantity of the drug(s) at issue, the nature and circumstances of the drug charge, and the number of prior drug offences incurred or convictions sustained by the defendant. The most common Calgary drug crime penalties include the following:

• Fines
• Term of incarceration
• Term of probation
• Mandatory community service
• Mandatory attendance at drug abuse treatment programs
• Mandatory participation in a drug rehabilitation program

Defences to Drug Charges

A Calgary criminal defence lawyer may be able to assist you with formulating successful legal defences to your drug charge. Good legal defences may include one or more of the following:

• Illegal search or seizure of drugs as prohibited by the Charter
• Drugs not in plain view
• Improper or illegal traffic stop leading to recovery of the drugs
• Improper investigation or interrogation techniques used by police officers or investigators
• Cases of mistaken identity

Contact a Calgary Drug Crimes Lawyer Today for an Initial Consultation

No matter the drug involved, a drug crime conviction can have serious—and potentially lifelong—consequences. As such, it is a good idea to have a knowledgeable criminal defence lawyer in your corner throughout the process.

To schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with a Calgary criminal defence lawyer, please call us at 403-474-4143 today or contact us online.