Drug trafficking in Rhode Island is a felony charge based on the weight or quantity of controlled substances involved, regardless of whether actual distribution evidence exists. Trafficking thresholds vary by substance: smaller amounts trigger trafficking charges for heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl than for marijuana. Trafficking carries multi-year mandatory minimum prison sentences and fines reaching tens of thousands of dollars. The charge moves to Rhode Island Superior Court for jury trial. Defense work in trafficking cases focuses heavily on challenging the weight measurements (does the weight include packaging?), the chain of custody on lab analysis, and the lawfulness of the search that produced the drugs.
