Commercial quantity drug trafficking in Victoria is a serious indictable offence under section 71AA of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981, carrying up to 25 years imprisonment. It is dealt with in the County Court, and being charged sets in motion a committal and, usually, a contested process.
Drink and drug driving are two separate offences in Victoria, so being charged with both means two sets of consequences. Each carries its own licence loss, and the disqualifications can add up, meaning a longer total time off the road, plus an interlock and both behaviour change programs before you are relicensed.
A positive roadside drug test in Victoria for a first offence usually means a fine of 3 penalty units and a 6-month licence loss, dealt with by an infringement notice rather than court. A confirmatory laboratory test follows, and a second or later offence is more serious and goes to court.
A first drink driving offence in Victoria means losing your licence, from 3 months at the lowest reading up to 20 months or more at high readings. A lower-range first offence can be a penalty notice without court, but higher readings mean a court appearance. An interlock and a behaviour change program apply before you are relicensed.
If Fines Victoria suspended your licence for unpaid fines and you were caught driving, it is still an offence under section 30 of the Road Safety Act 1986. However, the court treats a Fines Victoria suspension less seriously than a safety-based one, with a much lower maximum penalty.
