STATE PUBLISHES NEW LAWS ON NARCOTICS

Nairobi - The Government has published new laws to deal with
narcotics ahead of the destruction of the Sh6.4 billion cocaine haul
seized last year.

The laws, in the latest Gazette notice, give the attorney-general's
office the power to destroy seized drugs, including the cocaine,
scheduled to be destroyed next week following a court order.

New guidelines

AG Amos Wako, who is the Government's chief adviser, published the
new guidelines, which also provide for a penalty for those charged
with drug-related offences.

The new regulations fall under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances (Control, Seizure, Analysis and Disposal Regulations) Act 2006.

The laws also address the storage, security and transportation of any
seized drugs or substances to the destruction site.

It reads in part: "All seized substances shall be analysed to find
out identity, quantity or mass and purity. After analysis, a
certificate shall be prepared, and each sealed package be delivered
to the seizures registrar, who shall then ensure that they are kept
in secure storage ... and never left unattended until the time they
leave the secure storage to the time of final disposal."

The laws also outline special procedures to be followed when the
drugs are to be produced in court as evidence.

They also provide penalties for offenders - a prison sentence for a
term of five years or a fine not exceeding Sh250,000.

The guidelines were published as the Government moves closer to
coming up with the venue of the planned destruction of the cocaine.