California Health & Safety Code §11379 — Meth Sales / Transportation
Sales, transportation, offer to sell, furnish, or give away of methamphetamine and related controlled substances — 2, 3, or 4 years state prison, up to 9 years for cross-county transport under §11379(b).
Reviewed by Daniel S. Rubin, CA Bar 302093 · Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney · Meth Sales / Transportation Cases in All LA County Courts
01 — Quick Facts
HS §11379 — Meth Sales / Transportation at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Code | HS §11379 |
| Classification | Felony |
| Sentence | 2, 3, or 4 yrs (state prison) |
| Cross-County | 3, 6, or 9 yrs (§11379(b)) |
| Strike | No |
| Realignment | State prison — not §1170(h) |
01 — What Is HS §11379?
What Is California Code §11379?
HS §11379 Reads:
"Every person who transports, imports into this state, sells, furnishes, administers, or gives away, or offers to transport, import, sell, furnish, administer, or give away, or attempts to import into or transport across state lines any controlled substance specified in §11379 shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for two, three, or four years."
— Health & Safety Code §11379(a)
HS §11379 criminalizes the sales, transportation, and distribution of methamphetamine, PCP, MDMA, GHB, ketamine, and other stimulants and hallucinogens listed in §11055(d) and §11056(d). It is the sales-side companion to HS §11377 (simple possession) and HS §11378 (possession for sale).
Transport vs. Sale
Transport under §11379 requires movement for sale — People v. Rogers established that mere transport for personal use is insufficient; SB 1010 (2014) codified the sale-intent requirement.
02 — Elements of the Crime
Elements the Prosecution Must Prove Under HS §11379
The prosecution must prove:
Controlled Substance
The substance was methamphetamine or another §11379-listed drug.
Sale / Transport / Offer
Defendant sold, transported for sale, furnished, or offered any of the above.
Knowledge of Nature
Defendant knew the substance was a controlled substance.
Usable Quantity
The amount was usable, not mere residue.
04 — Penalties
Penalties for HS §11379 Meth Sales / Transportation in California
§11379 is a straight felony carrying state-prison time (not §1170(h) county jail).
| Charge | Code | Prison Term | Probation | Strike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| §11379(a) — Base | HS §11379(a) | 2, 3, or 4 yrs state prison | Discretionary | No |
| §11379(b) — Cross-County Transport | HS §11379(b) | 3, 6, or 9 yrs state prison | No | No |
| With §11370.2 Prior | HS §11370.2(c) | +3 yrs per qualifying prior | No | No |
| School Zone (§11353.6) | HS §11353.6 | +3, 4, or 5 yrs | No | No |
Enhancements
Cross-County Transport
HS §11379(b)
Transport across two or more county lines with intent to sell — 3, 6, or 9 yrs.
Prior Drug Convictions
HS §11370.2(c)
+3 yrs per prior §11351, §11352, §11378, §11379, or §11379.6.
Weight Enhancements
HS §11370.4(b)
Substantial-weight enhancements: 3 yrs (1 kg), 5 yrs (4 kg), 10 yrs (10 kg), 15 yrs (20 kg), 20 yrs (40 kg), 25 yrs (80 kg).
Minor Involvement
HS §11380
Using a minor in sale/transport — 3, 6, or 9 yrs consecutive.
Collateral Consequences
- Federal immigration deportation and inadmissibility (aggravated felony for non-citizens)
- Mandatory driver's license suspension for transport-related convictions (VC §13202)
- Firearm lifetime ban (PC §29800)
- Professional license discipline (medical, nursing, teaching)
- Federal financial aid ineligibility (HEA §484)
- Public housing exclusion
Sentencing References
05 — Defense Strategies
How Rubin Law Defends HS §11379 Meth Sales / Transportation Charges
Rubin Law, P.C. defends §11379 through Fourth Amendment suppression and intent-to-sell challenges.
Fourth Amendment Suppression
Traffic-stop and search challenges — Rodriguez v. United States extensions, warrantless searches, and pretext.
4A
Personal-Use Transport
Post-SB 1010, transport for personal use is §11377 (misdemeanor), not §11379.
Intent
Lack of Knowledge
Blind-mule, unwitting courier, and vehicle-not-yours defenses.
Knowledge
Lab Challenge
Chain of custody, mass-spec calibration, sample integrity.
Lab
Entrapment
Undercover-buy defense where officers induced conduct defendant would not otherwise commit.
Entrapment
Deferred Entry / Diversion
PC §1000 diversion is not available for §11379, but PC §1001.36 mental-health diversion may apply.
Diversion
Constitutional Sources
07 — Court Process
How HS §11379 Meth Sales / Transportation Cases Move Through Los Angeles Courts
§11379 cases follow the standard felony track.
- 1
Step 1 — Investigation
Undercover buys, wiretaps, controlled buys, and confidential informants.
- 2
Step 2 — Arrest & Booking
State-prison exposure — bail typically $30k-$100k depending on weight.
- 3
Step 3 — Arraignment
Not-guilty plea entered; bail motion filed.
- 4
Step 4 — Preliminary Hearing
Corpus delicti, §1538.5 suppression, and probable cause challenges.
- 5
Step 5 — Motions
Franks hearing, informant disclosure, and CI reliability.
- 6
Step 6 — Pretrial
Plea negotiations to §11377/§11378 or diversion under §1001.36.
- 7
Step 7 — Trial or Plea
Jury trial or negotiated resolution.
- 8
Step 8 — Sentencing
State prison base plus enhancements.
Los Angeles Courts That Handle HS §11379 Meth Sales / Transportation Cases
§11379 cases are handled in LA County felony courts.
Reviewed by Your Attorney
Daniel S. Rubin — Los Angeles Meth Sales / Transportation Defense Attorney
Daniel S. Rubin has defended clients charged with meth sales / transportation and related offenses in Los Angeles County courts — including Clara Shortridge Foltz, Van Nuys, Compton, and Pomona. He understands that these cases are won in the details: the suppression hearing that eliminates key evidence, the preliminary hearing cross-examination that exposes a weak witness, the penalty phase argument that keeps a client out of the worst outcome.
This page was written and reviewed by Daniel A. Rubin, Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, CA State Bar 302093, with 10+ years of experience defending clients charged under HS §11379 in Los Angeles County. Last reviewed: July 2026.
CA Bar 302093 | Whittier Law School | Rising Star — Super Lawyers 2019–2023 | Meth Sales / Transportation Cases Throughout LA County
09 — FAQs
HS §11379 Meth Sales / Transportation Questions — Los Angeles
Is §11379 a strike?
No — HS §11379 is not listed as a serious or violent felony under PC §667.5(c) or §1192.7(c). However, §11370.2 priors and §11370.4 weight enhancements substantially extend sentencing exposure.
Does §11379 qualify for Prop 47?
No — Prop 47 reduced only simple-possession offenses (§11377, §11350) to misdemeanors. Sales-side offenses (§11379, §11378, §11351, §11352) remain felonies.
Is drug diversion available?
PC §1000 (deferred entry of judgment) is not available for §11379. However, PC §1001.36 mental-health diversion and PC §1001.80 military diversion may apply to eligible defendants.
What triggers the §11379(b) cross-county enhancement?
Transport with intent to sell across two or more non-contiguous county lines — increases the term to 3, 6, or 9 years. Contiguous county transport falls under §11379(a).
Will I go to state prison?
§11379 is a straight felony punishable by state prison (2, 3, or 4 yrs) — it is NOT a §1170(h) county-jail offense. Probation with jail is discretionary and requires unusual circumstances (§1203.07).
What if I was just a courier?
Courier liability depends on knowledge and intent. Blind-mule defenses attack the knowledge element. Post-SB 1010, transport for personal use is not §11379.
Available 24/7 — Free Consultation
Charged with HS §11379 Meth Sales?
State-prison exposure. Rubin Law, P.C. defends with Fourth Amendment suppression and intent-to-sell challenges. Free consult (213) 723-2337.