New directive for 'opium offences' effective July 1

The Attorney- General has issued a new directive for opium offences for the Prosecutors of Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius), writes The Daily Herald.

The new directive goes into effect as of July 1. It focuses on drug traffickers, intermediaries, street vendors, organisers of drug shipments, merchants, hemp farms and “XTC affairs,” a press release issued on Monday stated.

The new directive takes into account whether the offender is a first-time or a repeat offender. In the case of a repeat offender, the demand in Court will be higher, the release said.

To determine how much time will be demanded per offense, the Prosecutor’s Office will take into account the gross weight of the drugs in question.

“Drugs are transported in different ways: dissolved in liquid or soaked in garments, as a paste form. In such cases, the Prosecutor demands, as it was intended in the Opium Law, a penalty based on the gross weight of corresponding object in which the drug is dissolved,” the release said.

In case of recidivism (if the last conviction for a similar fact is not older than five years), the demand will be increased by 50 to 100 per cent. The time frame in which the crime was committed/ period, method and quantities, seriousness of the offences for which the offender has been convicted previously, are circumstances that will be taken into consideration.

In cases where more than 500 grams of drugs are involved, a report to the Probation Office will be ordered; to prevent repetition.

The full details of the new directive can be found on the website http://www.openbaarministerie. org/nl/curacao/publicaties