Federal Drug Importation Charges

Are you accused of unlawfully bringing drugs into the U.S.?

When goods are imported, this means that they are brought into the U.S. from another country. The United States has strict laws governing how goods, including drugs, can be imported. The Controlled Substances Import and Export Act allows for the importation of controlled substances for medical purposes, scientific purposes or for other legitimate uses, when certain protocols are followed. When individuals who are not authorized to import drugs into the U.S. do so, they can end up facing serious federal drug charges.

Drug importation cases cover a broad spectrum of circumstances. They may involve individuals who are accused of illegally importing small amounts of medication for their own personal use, or these cases may involve individuals who are accused of importing large amounts of narcotics or unapproved prescription drugs. When a case involves the second option, the defendant may also end up being charged with drug trafficking.

Depending on the type of charges filed and the details of the alleged offense, the defendant can end up serving a limited amount of time in jail, or he or she could be sentenced to decades in prison. Doctors, pharmacists, drug companies and others who work in the medical or drug industries are not immune--even they can end up being faced with criminal charges if they are believed to be importing drugs unlawfully.