Supply · trafficking · Supreme Court
Drug trafficking & supply
Trafficking and supply are among the most serious charges in Queensland, carrying up to 25 years and, for trafficking, a Supreme Court trial. These are not matters to face without a specialist.
Supply can be charged on the basis of a single alleged transaction; trafficking alleges a business of dealing carried on over time. Both are indictable, both attract lengthy maximum penalties, and trafficking is heard in the Supreme Court.
The Crown case in these matters is usually built on telephone intercepts, surveillance and the evidence of alleged associates. Each of those has weaknesses, and the way a case is prepared from the first week can decide whether it resolves as a much lesser charge — or goes to trial at all.
The charges — and what they carry
Figures are statutory maximums under Queensland law. Actual sentences are usually far lower — get advice about your matter.
Defences we run
- The evidence does not establish a business of trafficking
- Intercept and surveillance evidence is contested or inadmissible
- The reliability and motive of Crown witnesses
- Quantity, purity and the drug schedule
How we defend you
- A director-led team, including an Accredited Specialist, takes carriage from day one.
- We interrogate the intercept and surveillance material line by line.
- We negotiate hard with the prosecution — many supply charges resolve well below their maximum.
Questions people ask
Trafficking sounds like a huge case — do I need a specialist?
Yes. Trafficking is a Supreme Court matter with exposure up to 25 years. It should be run by a director-led team with an Accredited Specialist in criminal law, which is exactly how we staff these matters.
Can a supply charge be reduced?
Frequently. Supply charges often resolve to possession or a lesser count once the evidence is properly tested and negotiated. The earlier we are involved, the more room there is to achieve that.