Our specialist drug lawyers provide expert advice on all features of drug offences including the arrest process, the legality of the police search and sniffer dogs and your individual rights.

The most common charge of this type is for drug possession, however other offences include getting caught driving with drugs or failing drug swab testing. There are also more serious charges related to importation and supply.

All drug offences potentially carry a gaol sentence. The risk of this is obviously much higher where people are caught with drugs other than for their personal use. The Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act (1985) sets out the penalties for all State drug offences including personal possession and supply of small quantity, trafficable quantity, commercial quantity and large commercial quantity of many different types of drugs.

Drug importation and drug manufacture are receiving a lot of media attention. Ecstasy, for example, is a drug that is imported into Australia as well as made locally in clandestine laboratories where quantities of chemicals are mixed, heated and extracted to produce an illegal drug.

Most people charged with drug possession offences are concerned about receiving a fine and community service. However, they are often most worried about receiving a criminal record. A younger person studying at University may be charged with a drug possession offence after going to a music festival or an evening out at a night club. This matter then stays on their record for the rest of their lives. It can mean that they are permanently barred from working or traveling overseas and as such their career and life more generally is severely affected.

The main priority when dealing with matters of this kind is avoiding a criminal conviction. Not only does this mean that the matter will not appear on your record (so you will be able to work and study overseas) but it also means that you will avoid a fine and/or community service as well. The primary objective in many cases is getting a "Section 10" where the Magistrate does not record a criminal conviction. As you can imagine, it is not easy to get a Section 10 but with thorough case preparation the chances are increased greatly. Individuals charged with cocaine and ecstasy possession have a real chance of avoiding conviction if the case is prepared properly beforehand. Knowledge about the Magistrates and how best to approach a case with a certain Magistrate is also very valuable. This is our area of expertise and the results speak for themselves.

We also strongly believe in providing expert legal advice at very reasonable rates. Your first meeting with us is at no charge. At this meeting, we will outline the best strategy for avoiding a conviction in your case. We will also tell exactly how much our representation will cost, and provide you with a costs agreement in clear, simple English.

If you would like to speak with one of our traffic law specialists, please phone our office on 02 9024 9530 or drop us an email.