Federal Investigation into UPS Drivers Allegedly Involved in Drug Trafficking

According to reports, four UPS drivers are facing federal charges of drug trafficking after a nearly two year long investigation which included surveillance in the state of Georgia.

The allegations state that the evidence seized from the investigation included 50,000 THC pens as well as bulk currency and high end foreign sports cars.

Even though this is a federal case, as a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law on trafficking marijuana in the state of Georgia as Georgia has its own laws regarding trafficking.

Trafficking Marijuana in Georgia

Most people are under the impression that laws around marijuana have eased up in the state of Georgia. This may be true for other parts of the country, however, marijuana is still regulated under the Georgia Controlled Substances Act. Although marijuana is not considered a scheduled substance it still falls until the category of “controlled substances.” There are many criminal offenses surrounding marijuana in the state of Georgia. These include:

• Possession of marijuana in Georgia
• Manufacturing marijuana in Georgia
• Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in Georgia
• Purchase or sale of marijuana flavored products in Georgia
• Sale of marijuana in Georgia

And of course, the most serious of all marijuana offenses, trafficking marijuana in Georgia.

Trafficking marijuana in the state of Georgia is defined by law in O.C.G.A. §16-13-31 as:

When someone sells, manufactures, grows, delivers, brings into this state, or has possession of a quantity of marijuana exceeding ten pounds.

Trafficking marijuana is considered a felony offense. The penalties for a trafficking marijuana conviction depend greatly on how much marijuana is in that individual's possession. An amount greater than 10 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds requires at least a five-year prison sentence and shall pay a fine of $100,000.00. An amount of marijuana between 2,000 and 10,000 pounds requires a minimum sentence of seven years and a fine of $250,000.00. For any amount of marijuana above 10,000 pounds, the minimum sentence is fifteen years with a fine of $1 million. 

Practice Note

Drug offenses are handled very seriously at both the state and federal level. Call our offices now if you are facing drug charges in the state of Georgia.