Charged With Drug Supply in Tasmania - What Happens Now?

By James Stevens, Director and Solicitor, Go To Court Lawyers. Last reviewed 10 April 2026.

Drug supply charges in Tasmania are among the most serious criminal offences you can face, carrying potential prison sentences of up to 21 years. The critical difference between possession and supply often determines whether you face months or decades in prison. If police have charged you with supply, or you're holding quantities that could be deemed supply, you need immediate legal representation to protect your future.

Do You Need a Lawyer?

Yes, absolutely. Drug supply charges in Tasmania require immediate legal intervention because the consequences are life-changing. Without proper legal representation, you risk maximum penalties, permanent criminal records, and losing your job, housing, and family stability. A skilled drug lawyer can challenge the supply element, argue for possession instead, negotiate with prosecutors, and potentially save you from years in prison.

The difference between a possession charge and a supply charge often comes down to legal arguments about intent, quantity interpretations, and evidence handling. Police and prosecutors routinely overcharge drug offences, knowing many people will plead guilty rather than fight. An experienced lawyer can identify weaknesses in the prosecution case and fight for the best possible outcome.

Time is critical. Evidence must be preserved, witnesses interviewed, and legal strategies developed before your first court appearance. Every day you wait reduces your options and strengthens the prosecution case against you.

What Happens Next - The Process

Understanding the court process helps you prepare for what's ahead:

1. First Court Appearance - Usually within 4-6 weeks at Hobart Magistrates Court, Launceston Magistrates Court, or Burnie Magistrates Court. You'll receive a brief of evidence and enter a plea. Never plead guilty without legal advice.
2. Brief of Evidence Review - Your lawyer examines police statements, forensic reports, search warrants, and interview records. This often reveals procedural errors or weaknesses in the supply allegations.
3. Negotiations with Prosecution - Experienced lawyers negotiate with the Director of Public Prosecutions to potentially reduce charges from supply to possession, or achieve alternative sentencing arrangements.
4. Committal Hearing - For serious supply charges, a magistrate determines if sufficient evidence exists to proceed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania. This hearing can eliminate weak charges.
5. Supreme Court Trial or Plea - Major supply charges are heard before a judge and jury in the Supreme Court. Your lawyer presents your defence and challenges the prosecution evidence.
6. Sentencing - If convicted, the court considers your circumstances, criminal history, and mitigation factors. Skilled legal representation significantly impacts the final penalty.

The entire process typically takes 6-18 months, depending on the complexity of your case and whether you plead guilty or proceed to trial.

The Law in Tasmania

Tasmania's drug supply laws are governed by the Misuse of Drugs Act 2001, which creates severe penalties designed to deter commercial drug dealing. Understanding these laws helps you grasp the seriousness of your situation.

Supply vs Possession - The Critical Difference

Supply in Tasmania includes selling, distributing, giving away, or even offering drugs to another person. You can be charged with supply even if no money changes hands and even if police never witness an actual transaction. Possession, however, requires the drugs to be for your personal use only.

The law creates deemed supply provisions based purely on quantity. If you possess more than these amounts, the law presumes you intended to supply unless you can prove otherwise:

• Cannabis: 50 grams or more (roughly 2 ounces)
• Cocaine: 2 grams or more
• Heroin: 2 grams or more
• Amphetamines: 3 grams or more
• MDMA/Ecstasy: 3 grams or more

Penalty Ranges

The penalties depend on the drug type and quantity involved:

Cannabis Supply:

• Small quantities: Up to 2 years imprisonment
• Commercial quantities (2kg+): Up to 10 years imprisonment
• Large commercial quantities (100kg+): Up to 15 years imprisonment

Controlled Drugs (cocaine, heroin, amphetamines):

• Small quantities: Up to 15 years imprisonment
• Commercial quantities: Up to 21 years imprisonment
• Large commercial quantities: Up to 25 years imprisonment

Trafficking Thresholds

Trafficking charges apply when quantities suggest commercial-level dealing. These thresholds trigger the most serious penalties:

• Cannabis: Commercial quantity begins at 2 kilograms
• Cocaine/Heroin: Commercial quantity begins at 100 grams
• Amphetamines/MDMA: Commercial quantity begins at 150 grams

Trafficking charges often result in immediate detention without bail and lengthy prison sentences upon conviction.

Mistakes to Avoid

These common mistakes can destroy your chances of a successful defence:

1. Talking to Police Without a Lawyer
Police interviews are designed to gather evidence against you. Many people think they can explain their way out of trouble, but every word becomes evidence for the prosecution. Exercise your right to silence and request legal representation immediately.

2. Pleading Guilty to Get It Over With
The courts move slowly, and the stress feels overwhelming, but pleading guilty to supply charges without legal advice often means accepting years of unnecessary imprisonment. Many supply charges can be reduced to possession or dismissed entirely with proper legal representation.

3. Assuming Quantity Equals Guilt
Just because you possessed quantities above the deemed supply thresholds doesn't mean you're automatically guilty of supply. Experienced lawyers regularly defeat supply charges by proving personal use, challenging police procedures, or demonstrating prosecutorial overreach.

4. Hiring the Wrong Lawyer
Drug supply cases require specific expertise in forensic evidence, police procedures, and prosecution tactics. General criminal lawyers often lack the specialized knowledge needed to effectively challenge supply allegations. Choose lawyers with proven drug law experience.

5. Ignoring Court Dates or Legal Deadlines
Warrants are issued immediately for people who miss court appearances, and critical deadlines for appeals or legal challenges cannot be extended. Stay in constant contact with your legal team and attend every required court date.

Likely Outcomes and Costs

What a Lawyer Can Achieve

Experienced drug lawyers regularly achieve outcomes that seem impossible to their clients:

• Charge Reductions: Supply charges reduced to possession, saving years of potential imprisonment
• Case Dismissals: Charges dropped due to illegal searches, procedural errors, or insufficient evidence
• Alternative Sentencing: Suspended sentences, community service, or drug treatment programs instead of imprisonment
• Bail Success: Securing release from custody while awaiting trial
• Penalty Mitigation: Significantly reduced sentences through skilled advocacy and mitigation evidence

Going It Alone - The Risks

Self-represented defendants in drug supply cases typically face:

• Maximum penalty sentences due to lack of mitigation
• Guilty pleas to charges that could be defeated
• Permanent criminal records affecting employment and travel
• Missed opportunities for alternative sentencing programs
• Appeals lost due to procedural errors

Legal Costs and Timeframes

Drug supply cases typically cost between $15,000-$50,000 for comprehensive representation, depending on complexity and whether the matter proceeds to trial. This investment often saves decades of imprisonment and lifetime earning capacity.

Legal Aid Tasmania may provide funding for serious drug charges if you meet financial eligibility criteria. Private lawyers often offer payment plans to make representation accessible during this crisis.

Most drug supply cases resolve within 6-12 months, though complex trafficking matters can take 18-24 months to reach final resolution.

How Go To Court Lawyers Can Help

Go To Court Lawyers operates the largest legal practice in Australia, with over 800 lawyers across every state and territory. Our Tasmania-based drug lawyers have successfully defended thousands of supply charges and understand exactly how to challenge prosecution evidence.

Our drug law specialists know that the difference between possession and supply often determines whether you face months or years in prison. We've built our reputation on achieving case dismissals, charge reductions, and alternative sentences that keep our clients out of jail.

Why Choose Go To Court Lawyers:

• 800+ lawyers nationally with local Tasmania expertise
• 4.5-star rating from 780+ client reviews proves our commitment to results
• Fixed-fee consultation provides immediate clarity on your options
• 24/7 legal hotline 1300 636 846 for urgent advice
• 14+ years defending drug charges since our 2010 establishment
• Payment plans available to make expert representation accessible

Our lawyers appear regularly in Hobart Magistrates Court, Launceston Magistrates Court, Burnie Magistrates Court, and the Supreme Court of Tasmania. We know the local prosecutors, magistrates, and court procedures that will determine your case outcome.

Don't face drug supply charges alone. Call 1300 636 846 now for immediate legal advice, or book your consultation online at gotocourt.com.au/book. Every day you wait strengthens the prosecution case against you.