Importing Drugs Lawyer in Toronto

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act provides for criminal offences involving controlled drugs and substances. The Act prohibits the possession, importing, trafficking, and production of illegal and controlled drugs and substances, including their precursors.

Importing drugs and related substances is one of the most serious drug offences in Canada. This is because most of the drugs that end up in the hands of Canadians, including cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, are sneaked across the border through various means. The penalties provided by the CDSA for those found guilty of importing drugs are lengthy, even for first-time offenders. Thus, it’s advisable to retain an experienced drug lawyer in Toronto to represent you and fight the allegations against you if facing such allegations.

What Is Importing Drugs?

Importing drugs can be termed as bringing controlled drugs or substances into the country or causing them to be brought into the country.

As per the above definition, you can face charges for importing drugs on your person or in your luggage or using someone else to do it on your behalf. This is why, in some cases, if the police suspect someone of importing drugs, they track them from the border to their intended destination in the country. This way, they can arrest more persons suspected to be involved.

Here are the provisions by the CDSA Section 6 on importing drugs and substances (exporting drugs charges are also covered in the same section):

6. (1) Except as authorized under the regulations, no person shall import into Canada or export from Canada a substance included in Schedule I, II, III, IV, V or VI.

• Except as authorized under the regulations, no person shall possess a substance included in Schedule I, II, III, IV, V or VI for the purpose of exporting it from Canada.

If you are facing importing drugs charges, don’t hesitate to contact a criminal defence lawyer in Ontario. Importing cases are quite complex and challenging to defend, and the Crown prosecutes them sternly. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re not defendable. As experienced lawyers, Zamani Law can help alleviate the charges against you or get them dropped.

Get in touch with our drug importing lawyers in Toronto for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Penalties for Drug Importing Charges

Still not sure if you should retain an experienced drug importing lawyer in Toronto? Well, let’s take a look at the potential penalties for importing drugs.

According to Section 6 of the CDSA, importing drugs and substances is a hybrid offence with varying sentences. The penalty imposed is dependent on the type and amount of drug seized and how the prosecution chooses to proceed. Here are the possible penalties:

Schedule I and II Drugs:

Importing Schedule I or II drugs is an indictable offence. Depending on the amount of drug seized, here are the possible sentences:

• You may face life imprisonment for charges of importing less than 1 kg of Schedule I drugs and any Schedule II drugs. The Act provides a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 1 year if:
  • The offence is committed for the purposes of trafficking
  • the person, while committing the crime, abused a position of trust or authority, or
  • the person had access to an area restricted to authorized persons and used that access to commit the offence.
• For charges of importing more than 1 kg of Schedule I drugs, you may face life imprisonment. The minimum mandatory jail sentence for this offence is 2 years.

Schedule III, V and VI Drugs:

For charges of importing Schedule III, V and VI drugs, the potential penalties are:

• A jail term not exceeding 10 years for indictable offences
• Up to 18 months in prison for summary offences

Schedule IV Drugs:

For schedule IV drugs, here are the sentences provided by the CDSA:

• A jail term of up to 3 years for indictable offences
• Imprisonment for a period not exceeding 1 year for summary offences

Apart from imprisonment, a conviction for importing drugs has more consequences on your life, including your employment and immigration status. With an experienced lawyer by your side, you have better chances of attaining the best possible outcome.

Contact us for a free consultation and exceptional legal representation.

Your Experienced Drug Lawyer in Toronto

At Zamani Law, we have represented numerous clients facing complex drug charges and obtained successful outcomes as per their case details. We have the experience, legal expertise, and dedication to help you navigate the importing drugs charges against you or your loved one.

Call us at 647-363-7739 to schedule your consultation.