Florida law states the following regarding trafficking in marijuana:
Any person who knowingly sells, purchases, manufactures, delivers, or brings into this state, or who is knowingly in actual or constructive possession of, in excess of 25 pounds of cannabis, or 300 or more cannabis plants, commits a felony of the first degree, which felony shall be known as "trafficking in cannabis," punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. If the quantity of cannabis involved:
1. Is in excess of 25 pounds, but less than 2,000 pounds, or is 300 or more cannabis plants, but not more than 2,000 cannabis plants, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years, and the defendant shall be ordered to pay a fine of $25,000.
2. Is 2,000 pounds or more, but less than 10,000 pounds, or is 2,000 or more cannabis plants, but not more than 10,000 cannabis plants, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 7 years, and the defendant shall be ordered to pay a fine of $50,000.
3. Is 10,000 pounds or more, or is 10,000 or more cannabis plants, such person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 calendar years and pay a fine of $200,000.
For the purpose of this paragraph, a plant, including, but not limited to, a seedling or cutting, is a "cannabis plant" if it has some readily observable evidence of root formation, such as root hairs. To determine if a piece or part of a cannabis plant severed from the cannabis plant is itself a cannabis plant, the severed piece or part must have some readily observable evidence of root formation, such as root hairs. Callous tissue is not readily observable evidence of root formation. The viability and sex of a plant and the fact that the plant may or may not be a dead harvested plant are not relevant in determining if the plant is a "cannabis plant" or in the charging of an offense under this paragraph. Upon conviction, the court shall impose the longest term of imprisonment provided for in this paragraph.
Trafficking is based on the weight of the drug. It is not based on the sale, intent to sell, transportation, or cultivation of the substance.
With many
marijuana grow houses, the actual criminal charge is trafficking or attempted trafficking. As you know from reading the statute above, "any person...who is knowingly in actual or constructive possession of, in excess of 25 pounds of cannabis, or 300 or more cannabis plants..." can be charged with trafficking.
Marijuana trafficking is serious because the charge carries mandatory prison time. I practice
criminal defense in Miami-Dade and Broward. If you or someone you know have been charged with marijuana trafficking,
call me.