Facing Cocaine Charges in Georgia? Here’s How Police Use Evidence to Build Their Case

Being charged with cocaine possession or distribution in Georgia is a serious matter that can carry life-changing consequences. Even a small amount of cocaine can result in a felony charge, potentially leading to prison time, fines, probation, and a permanent criminal record. If you’re facing cocaine-related charges in Georgia, it’s critical to understand how law enforcement and prosecutors build their cases—and how a skilled criminal defense attorney can challenge their evidence.

At The Spizman Firm, our Atlanta Criminal Defense Attorneys believe knowledge is power. Here’s a look at the common types of evidence police use in cocaine cases and how we work to defend against them.

Physical Evidence of Cocaine

The most obvious piece of evidence in a cocaine case is the substance itself. Police will often field test a powder or rock-like material suspected to be cocaine, and later send it to a lab for formal analysis. For the prosecution to move forward, they must prove the substance is, in fact, cocaine.

Defense strategy: Lab tests can be challenged if there are issues with how the sample was handled, stored, or tested. Chain of custody mistakes or lab errors can weaken the prosecution’s case.

Where and How the Drugs Were Found

Law enforcement often emphasizes the location of the cocaine and how it was discovered. Was it found in your car, your home, your pocket, or in a bag nearby? Prosecutors use this context to argue that you had control over or ownership of the drugs—also known as constructive possession.

Defense strategy: If the drugs were not found on your person, we may be able to argue that you had no knowledge or control over them, especially if others had access to the same space (e.g., a shared vehicle or residence).

Police Reports and Witness Testimony

Police narratives play a major role in how prosecutors frame a cocaine case. Officers may testify about your behavior, statements you made during the arrest, or observations such as nervousness, cash on hand, or drug paraphernalia.

Defense strategy: Police reports are not always accurate. We carefully examine inconsistencies and challenge any improper procedures, such as illegal searches or lack of probable cause for a stop or arrest.

Surveillance and Digital Evidence

In more serious cases, such as those involving alleged drug trafficking, police may rely on surveillance footage, social media messages, text messages, or recorded calls. These tools are often used to support charges like possession with intent to distribute.

Defense strategy: We investigate how this evidence was obtained. If law enforcement failed to get a proper warrant or violated your constitutional rights, the evidence may be suppressed.

Get a Strong Legal Advocate on Your Side

Cocaine charges in Georgia are nothing to take lightly. At The Spizman Firm, we provide aggressive, strategic defense to individuals facing cocaine possession, trafficking, or intent to distribute charges. We scrutinize every detail of the evidence to protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome.

We proudly serve clients throughout Georgia, including Atlanta, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Johns Creek, and Sandy Springs. Contact us today for a confidential consultation.