Imagine you’re riding in the car with your friend, and unbeknownst to you, your friend has the vehicle loaded up with drugs, drug paraphernalia and other illegal contraband. The police stop your friend in a routine traffic stop. The next thing you know, they’re searching the vehicle, discover the drugs, and now — virtually guilty by association — you are facing all of the same drug charges as your friend.
Unfortunately, the principal of “being in the wrong place at the wrong time” applies to many drug charges. Here are some of the most common drug charges that a perfectly innocent person might face, just for spending time with the wrong people:
Drug paraphernalia charges: This relates to the illegal possession of items that might be used in connection with drugs. These could be pipes, bongs or syringes used to administer drugs. They could also be regular household items, like baggies and tinfoil, that could be used to package and distribute drugs — or scales used to weight drugs.
Drug possession charges: This relates to the simple possession of drugs. You might have a small quantity of marijuana on your person, and a police officer will charge you with marijuana possession. When the drug possession involves higher quantities of drugs, they could result in more severe charges of trafficking or dealing.
Were you accused of any of the above drug crimes in North Carolina? You might want to learn about various criminal defense techniques, as well as the potential punishments you might face and the requirements for conviction. This information could prove very useful as you defend yourself against the allegations in court.