Drug Trafficking Laws and Penalties in New Jersey
New Jersey laws and penalties for drug trafficking depend on the amount of substances involved while caught. The crime is categorized into 4 different degrees. Drug trafficking laws and penalties under different degrees are:
1st degree: 1st degree has fines up to $500,000 or at least ten (and up to 20) years in prison or both when one is caught with the following:
- 5 pounds or more of marijuana
- 5 pounds or more of hashish, 5 oz. or more of methamphetamine
- 100 milligrams or more of LSD or 10 or more grams of PCP
- 5 ounces or more of P2P
- 5 oz. or more of heroin and cocaine
2nd degree: 2nd degree has fines up to $75,000 or at least five (and up to ten) years in prison or both when one is caught with:
- 5 pounds but less than 25 pounds of marijuana
- One pound but less than 5 pounds of hashish
- ½ oz. but less than 5 oz. of methamphetamine
- ½ oz. but less than 5 oz. of heroin and cocaine
- Less than 100 milligrams of LSD or less than 10 grams of PCP
- ½ ounce or more, but less than 5 ounces of P2P
- 1 ounce or more of methadone, mescaline, peyote, opium, DMT, magic mushrooms, amphetamines (Ritalin)
3rd degree: 3rd degree carries a fine of up to $150,000 or at least three (and up to five) years in prison or both when caught with:
- 1 oz. but less than 5 pounds of marijuana
- 5 grams but less than one pound of hashish
- Less than ½ oz. of methamphetamine
- Less than ½ oz.of heroin and cocaine
- Less than 1 ounce of methadone, mescaline, peyote, opium, DMT, magic mushrooms, amphetamines (Ritalin)
- Less than ½ ounce of P2P
4th degree: Drug trafficking which involve less than one ounce of marijuana, less than 5 grams of hashish or any amount of a Schedule V substance incurs a fine of up to $25,000, up to 18 months in prison or both.
Drug trafficking within 1,000 feet of school premises incurs at least one year of imprisonment for less than 1 oz. of marijuana and 3 years for other drugs.
Drug trafficking within 500 feet of a public space or property can include penalties with a fine of up to $150,000, or 5 to 10 years imprisonment, or both.