The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments to the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act (毒品危害防制條例) allowing courts to seize illicit gains from the sale of narcotics.
People who sell or transfer narcotics of any class, or grow, sell or transfer opium poppy, cocaine or cannabis plants would have any belongings or property proved to be illicit gains from the infractions seized, one amendment says.
Authorities do not need to wait until a court ruling is passed before destroying seized narcotics that are difficult to produce or preserve, another amendment says.
Photo: CNA
The thresholds for punishments related to the possession of class C or D drugs were also lowered.
People found in possession of more than 5g of any class C drug would be subject to a jail term of up to two years or a maximum fine of NT$200,000, while those found with more than 5g of class D narcotics would face a prison term of up to one year or a fine of up to NT$100,000. Previously, people found in possession of more than 20g of class C drugs faced a prison term of up to three years, which could be commuted to a NT$300,000 fine, while those in possession of more than 20g of class D narcotics faced a jail term of up to one year or a fine of NT$100,000.
Due to the high costs often associated with making “standard samples,” either the synthesis of new drugs or importing samples from abroad, the amendments allow narcotics inspection agencies to take a small portion of new drugs seized to be used as samples.
People who force or coerce a minor or pregnant woman to use illicit drugs, or cause them to do so by any other means, could face a prison term 1.5 times longer, another amendment says.
People found to have manufactured, sold, transported or enticed others to take a mixture of narcotics of different classes would face charges governing the higher-ranked drugs, as well as a prison term 1.5 times longer than the penalty if their crime involved only one kind of drug, the amendments say.
To reduce the period in which no legal action may be taken for new narcotics, the amendments stipulate that drugs with similar chemical formulas may be reviewed immediately and classified at drug reviews held every three months by the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
As not everyone who uses controlled substances develops an addiction, one amendment stipulates that such offenders may be ordered to perform community service, or undergo therapy or counseling as an alternative to rehabilitation.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old