Drug offenders to have monies seized with passage of narcotic bill

Persons convicted of narcotics-related offenses will have their monies seized and accounts frozen if government is successful in pushing through the Narcotic Control Commission Bill.

This means Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) will have additional powers to freeze monies of convicts in addition to their ability to confiscate property.

Under provisions of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) Act, 2010 (Act 804), the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has been authorised to seize any property that is reasonably suspected to be liable to confiscation.

The Bill moved in parliament Monday will undergo consideration but ahead of that opinions are already divided on the provision on seizing monies of drugs lords.

Deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga, who spoke to Joy New parliamentary correspondent, Elton Brobbey said the Bill will also decriminalise drug use and its abuse by individuals.

"The bill seeks to shift from the way and manner we treated drug addiction related issues act and drug abuse issues as criminal acts to health-related issues," he said.

Under the new act, Mr Agalga said they have been categorised in the new bill under public health related issue thereby decriminalising drug use and addiction.

This means when passed into law, drug addicts when arrested would not be prosecuted and jailed but sent to rehabilitation homes for treatment.

The Minister disagrees that this would give people the license to abuse drugs arguing, a lot of the people on the street or in prison from drug addiction have become worse off.

But for Member of Parliament for, Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markins, the provision of freezing can be abused by NACOB and is pushing for the abolition of that provision.

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Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim