New Orleans police officers often arrest local residents on drug charges, but municipal and state authorities are not the only ones who are able to pursue drug-related crimes in the United States. The Drug Enforcement Agency, as administered by the United States Department of Justice, is guided by the Controlled Substances Act. This law permits federal DEA agents to investigate and pursue individuals suspected of violating drug crimes codified under this law.
A general overview of the actions that the Controlled Substances Act criminalizes may help our readers. However, individuals who wish to learn more about violations of this law will probably need to seek out answers to their own particular questions.
The Controlled Substances Act criminalizes the knowing or intentional manufacturing, distributing or dispensing of controlled substances. Under the law, a controlled substance is considered any substance that is classified under the law’s extensive scheme of drugs; alcohol and tobacco are not controlled substances under this law.
Additionally, a person may face drug charges under the Controlled Substances Act if he knowingly or intentionally distributes, dispenses or manufactures a counterfeit substance. Whether a substance qualifies as counterfeit requires consideration under the definitions provided by the law.
Actions involving the creation or sale of illegal drugs can often be penalized by state and criminal sanctions. When it comes to enforcing federal laws like the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA takes the lead in pursuing suspected drug criminals. However, just as state drug crimes can be defended against, so too can federal drug charges.