Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
The Rise of Fentanyl Cases in Chicago
Chicago is a hub for commerce, culture, and transportation. Its role as a transportation center also makes it a focus point for law enforcement targeting drug trafficking. Over the past decade, fentanyl has become one of the most aggressively prosecuted substances in Illinois. Even tiny amounts of fentanyl are considered extremely dangerous, and prosecutors pursue these cases with intensity.
Unlike cannabis or small-scale possession offenses, fentanyl trafficking is always charged as a felony under the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (720 ILCS 570/401.1). The difference between possession, intent to deliver, and trafficking is crucial. Possession can sometimes mean a person had drugs for personal use. Intent to deliver suggests the drugs were meant for sale. Trafficking, however, involves bringing fentanyl into Illinois for the purpose of distributing it, which carries mandatory prison terms.
