Drug Offences

Specialist Legal Representation for Serious Drug Charges

Being charged with a drug offence, particularly those involving organised crime or large-scale drug dealing, can carry severe consequences, including long prison sentences and asset forfeiture. A strong defence requires a lawyer with extensive experience in complex drug trials, forensic evidence, and challenging police investigative techniques.

Steven Lack is a specialist criminal defence barrister with over a decade of experience defending clients accused of serious drug offences. He has acted in some of New Zealand’s most significant drug trials, representing individuals alleged to be high-level participants in organised criminal networks. His expertise in challenging interception evidence, undercover operations, and forensic drug analysis provides clients with a strong defence against these charges.

Why Choose Steven for your Drug Offence Defence?

  • Extensive Trial Experience: Successfully defended clients facing large-scale drug allegations before the District Court and High Court of New Zealand.

  • Complex Organised Crime Cases: Regularly represents individuals accused of drug offending linked to transnational crime syndicates and motorcycle gangs.

  • Strategic Defence Planning: Every case is meticulously analysed, with expert forensic, digital, and legal research conducted to build the strongest possible defence.

  • Challenging Surveillance & Wiretap Evidence: Experienced in challenging the legality of police interception warrants, covert recordings, and search procedures.

  • Client-Centred Approach: Works closely with clients, ensuring they understand every step of the legal process while providing a strong, unwavering defence.

Defending Serious Drug Offences

The prosecution in serious drug cases often relies on interception evidence, covert surveillance, informants, undercover operations, and financial transactions. A well-prepared defence requires a thorough understanding of:

  • Search & Surveillance Law: Ensuring police conducted searches and interceptions lawfully.

  • Entrapment & Undercover Operations: Challenging the conduct and credibility of covert police informants and agents.

  • Forensic Drug Analysis: Scrutinising the prosecution’s drug evidence, including purity levels and weight calculations.

  • Chain of Custody Issues: Identifying errors in evidence handling that could weaken the case against the accused.

  • Association Evidence: Disputing claims of involvement in organised crime based on mere association.

Steven takes a proactive approach to every case, ensuring that every piece of evidence is rigorously tested to provide clients with the strongest defence.

Notable Case Experience

R v H & Ors

Lead counsel for a defendant charged in Operation Trojan Shield, an international police operation targeting users of an encrypted phone network that had been designed by the FBI. The client is an alleged senior member of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club who is charged with large-scale methamphetamine distribution. The case involves complex challenges to encrypted communications evidence and transnational police cooperation.

R v T & Ors

Represented a high-ranking member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club charged with serious drug offences following a lenghty Police investigation. The trial took place over four months in the High Court, and involved extensive challenges to the credibility of a cooperative witness, location data and intercepted communications evidence.

R v L & Ors

Successfully defended an individual accused of large-scale cocaine importation. The issue was whether he could be attributed as the user of a cell phone which the Police asserted was used to arrange the collection of the cocaine from a shipping vessel in Auckland. It involved complex evidence regarding commercial shipping and the international trafficking of drugs.

Understanding the Legal Process

For individuals charged with a serious drug offence, understanding the legal process is crucial:

  • Investigation & Arrest: If under investigation or arrested, obtaining legal representation immediately is critical.

  • Bail & Pre-Trial Hearings: Strong advocacy at the bail stage is essential to protecting rights and freedoms.

  • Case Preparation: This includes analysing police evidence, consulting forensic experts, and formulating defence strategies

  • Trial: In court, Steven will rigorously challenge the prosecution’s case, cross-examining witnesses and exposing weaknesses in the evidence.

Secure the Best Defence for Drug Charges

For individuals facing a serious drug charge, securing a lawyer with experience in complex, high-stakes trials involving organised crime and large-scale drug allegations is essential. Contact Steven today for an initial consultation.