Drug-related+Crimes+in+Singapore

== =__ Drug-related crimes in Singapore __=



Independent from the United Kingdom since 1963, the Republic of Singapore has adopted successful harsh punishment laws for the production, the trafficking and the use of drugs. Indeed, one Singaporean out of 200 is a cannabis user. In comparison, one Canadian out of 6 uses this drug. Also, 3% of the Americans are cocaine users, which is 15 000 times more than in Singapore (0.0002% of the Singaporean population are cocaine users). This page thus explores the topic of drug-related crimes in this Southeast Asia country, analyzing legislation, as well as the sentences attributed to individuals not complying with the laws and finally, the concerned institutions.

__**Legislation **__ In every country, the control of the drug market is an important government concern. Singapore's main tool for adressing this concern is //The Misuse of Drugs Act,// which is a law passed by the legislative branch of the Singapore government in 1973, and revised in 2008. The law's purpose is defined in the preamble, which states that it is: An Act for the control of dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs and substances and for purposes connected therewith. Part II of the law lists and describes the types of offenses, which are;

• Trafficking in controlled drugs • Manufacture of controlled drugs • Import and export of controlled drugs • Possession and consumption of controlled drugs (The possession of a certain amount of drugs is considered as trafficking. This amount is specified for each drug in Section 17 of the law.) • Consumption of drugs outside of Singapore by citizens or permanent residents (Singapore police and //CNB// agents can ask for urine tests at state's borders or airports. Individuals who fail the test are charged for drug offenses whether or not the use of forbidden products occurred in Singapore.) • Possession of pipes, utensils, etc. • Cultivation of cannabis, opium and coca plants • Manufacture, supply, possession, import or export of equipment, materials or substances useful for manufacture of controlled drugs

It is also a criminal activity to be the owner, the responsible, the tenant or the occupier of any place or premises ``kept or used for`` the consumption, the trafficking or the production of controlled drugs. The controlled drugs are listed and defined in the Fourth Schedule of //The Misuse of Drugs Act.//

__**Sentences **__ Draconian sentences are imposed to the individuals who don't comply with the law. Indeed, the prescribed penalty for the failure to provide specimen of urine or for consumption of a controlled drug is a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, a 20 000$ fine, or both. The sentence for the possession of pipes or other drug utensils is a maximum of 3 years in jail, or a 10 000$ fine, or both. Trafficking and manufacturing drugs in Singapore is the worst drug-related crime in terms of punishment, because the country believes in the capital and corporal punishment advantages. The minimum sentence for these types of crimes is 2 years of imprisonment and 2 caning strokes, and can go up to 30 years in jail and 24 strokes. Also, the law prescribes the ‘’Mandatory Death Penalty’’ for individuals caught with a certain amount of drugs, as specified in the law. For example, individuals caught with 30 grams of cocaine are hanged to death. The same sentence <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16.8999996185303px; line-height: 25.3499984741211px;">is attributed to those who are caught with 200 grams of hashish. Nevertheless, a 2008 reform in //The Misuse of Drugs Act// gives the judge discretion about sentencing drug traffickers to death or to life imprisonment, if the accused is considered as a mule. A drug mule is someone who is carrying or smuggling into a country drugs for a criminal organization. In other words, a mule is at the bottom of the criminal organization's hierarchy.

__**<span style="color: #0e39d4; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 180%;">Institutions **__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The Republic of Singapore's legal system is based on the English common law, with an inquisitorial system. Drug laws offenders are considered guilty until they prove their innocence. In other words, the burden of proof lies on the defendant, not on the government. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> //The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB)//, created in 1971, is the  primary drug enforcement agency entrusted with the responsibilities of coordinating all matters pertaining to drug eradication in the country. The //CNB// fights its war against drugs on four fronts;

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Preventive Drug Education <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Rigorous Enforcement <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Treatment and Rehabilitation for addicts <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Aftercare and Continued Rehabilitation for ex-addicts to reintegrate them into society

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">//The Central Narcotics Bureau// is also divided in four operational divisions, all supervised by the Director of the organization;

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Intelligence <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Enforcement <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Supervision <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">• Investigation

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Finally, each year, the //CNB// publishes its '' Drug Situation Report ". This annual document is a good source to analyze Singapore's drug situation. According to this latest document, there was 14% less drug abusers arrested in 2014 than the previous year. Also,in the same year, 92% of the people arrested for drug possession were caught with heroin or methamphetamine.

__**<span style="color: #0e39d4; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 23.3999996185303px;">CNN- Deterring drug trafficking with death penalty **__

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__**<span style="color: #0e39d4; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 19.5px;">Additional information **__
 * [|The Misuse of Drugs Act]
 * [[image:crls-4120/nacada.jpg align="right" link="http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2008/WDR2008_Statistical_Annex_Consumption.pdf"]][|Central Narcotics Bureau]
 * [|Annual prevalence of drug consumption by country: (world drug report 2008)]


 * __<span style="color: #0e39d4; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Sources __**
 * "Consumption." UNODC-Consumption-Prevalence. UNODC. Web. 22 Feb. 2015. http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2008/WDR2008_Statistical_Annex_Consumption.pdf
 * ``Singapore Statutes Online.``Singapore Attorney-General's Chamber- Misuse of Drugs Act. Singapore Government. Web. 23 Feb. 2015.http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;ident=5c7622c4-6c08-42fd-aa6c-048d277d974d;page=0;query=DocId%3A%22c13adadb-7d1b-45f8-a3bb-92175f83f4f5%22%20Status%3Apublished%20Depth%3A0;rec=0#pr5-he
 * "Misuse of Drugs Act (Singapore)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misuse_of_Drugs_Act_(Singapore)>.
 * "Drug Mule Spared Singapore Execution." BBC News. BBC News, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2015. <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-24940568>.
 * "Singapore Legal System." Singapore Legal System. Tpclaw. Web. 28 Feb. 2015. <http://www.tpclaw.com.sg/slsifr.php>.
 * Aquino, Michael. "An Overview of the Drug Laws in Singapore." About Travel. About Travel. Web. 28 Feb. 2015. <http://goseasia.about.com/od/singapore/a/Singapore-Drug-Laws.htm>.
 * "CNB - About Us - Introduction." CNB - About Us - Introduction. Singapore Government. Web. 1 Mar. 2015