Drug Manufacturing

Manufacturing illegal drugs, or even illegally manufacturing prescription drugs, is a criminal offense which may be punishable by jail time, fines and more. Drug manufacturing is illegal under state and federal law, and the specific penalties that a defendant faces may vary depending on whether he or she is charged in state or federal court. Every state may also have slightly different definitions of and penalties for manufacturing, so it may be helpful to review the matter with a local lawyer who can identify what you may be up against.

Understanding Drug Manufacturing Charges

Drug manufacturing refers to producing controlled substances using certain chemical procedures and lab equipment. Some commonly manufactured drugs include: methamphetamine (meth), LSD, ecstasy and cocaine. These narcotics either do not occur naturally in nature and must be created, or must be altered through drug manufacturing. Meth labs are most often associated with drug manufacturing, but many other drugs may be manufactured as well.

Because drug manufacturing is illegal under state and federal law, local law enforcement agencies and federal agencies such as the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) may work independently or may combine forces to crack down on alleged drug offenders. In an effort to stop large-scale drug operations, they may conduct lengthy investigations and surveillance to build up sufficient evidence to obtain a warrant or to give the prosecuting attorney enough to move forward with formal charges.

At any stage of a drug manufacturing case, even before formal charges are filed, it may be important to involve an attorney who can get to work immediately in protecting your legal rights.

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