Being Concerned in the Supply of Drugs

Understanding the charge

Section 4(3)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 creates the offence of being concerned in supplying a controlled drug to another. Section 4(3)(c) separately addresses being concerned in an offer. Check which allegation is actually made rather than treating the phrases as interchangeable.

Ask the legal team to identify each alleged act and its connection to the supply. If the police refer to driving, storing items, arranging contact or handling money, explain the real circumstances and your knowledge at the time.

Your conduct and its context

Practical activity can be described differently by different witnesses. Prepare an accurate account of who asked you to do something, what was said, the timing and any record that remains. Distinguish your own understanding from assumptions about another person’s purpose.

Where an allegation spans a series of events, identify which events you recognise. A broad denial or acceptance may overlook an important difference between dates. Discuss missing messages or documents with your solicitor rather than trying to recreate them.

Pressure, vulnerability and disputed responsibility

Tell Ghafar privately about threats, dependency or exploitation, including when and how they arose. These matters require careful assessment; they do not automatically establish a defence. Existing messages or reports may help the team understand the history.

If the prosecution calls you an organiser or manager, ask for advice about both the alleged offence and the separate question of role at sentencing. The roles guide explains why the two issues should be considered distinctly.

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