One of the 24 people involved in major ring of alleged prescription drug peddlers owns a pharmacy at Government Center in downtown Miami that was trafficking in oxycodone.
The pharmacy's owner allegedly purchased close to 1.7 million units of oxycodone in a 6-month period this year, making him the fifth highest wholesale purchaser in Miami-Dade County.
The pharmacy located in the lobby of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, was reportedly dispensing an average of 270 oxycodone tablets a day per patient.
Trafficking in oxycodone most commonly deals with OxyContin, the brand name of the generic drug. For whatever reason, the powers that be in our state legislature have decided that oxycodone trafficking is the worst criminal offense one can commit in the State of Florida. For that reason, harshest mandatory minimum sentences can be imposed upon anybody convicted of trafficking in oxycodone. The minimum trafficking amount when it comes to oxycodone is 4 grams. So 4 grams equals 4,000 milligrams, which is about 67 60 milligram pills. That's basically one prescription bottle.
So if you suffer from drug addiction - and oxycodone is one of the most addictive substances out there - and you obtain one prescription bottle of OxyContin tablets for your own personal use without the intent to sell them to anybody, you are still considered to be engaged in drug trafficking under Florida law. One bottle of oxycodone will send you to prison for a maximum of 30 years with a 3-year mandatory minimum term.
Above 28 grams (about 465 60 milligram tablets) and you can count on a mandatory sentence of 25 years with a maximum of 30 years if convicted.
Trafficking cases are put together by experienced narcotics detectives. Methods such as undercover buy operations, confidential informants (CIs), surveillance, and search warrants are the most frequently used law enforcement tactics employed for the purpose of catching suspected oxycodone traffickers.
However, something as simple as a traffic stop can trigger a narcotics investigation if an officer sees a pill bottle on your passenger seat and you do not have a prescription to show.
If you or a loved one are facing an investigation for oxycodone trafficking or you have already been arrested, contact a criminal defense attorney right away. There are many things that are different about trafficking cases, such as the Nebbia requirement when posting a bond. If you or a loved one are facing trafficking charges in Miami-Dade or Broward, call me.