National hunt for drug criminals begins as new law enters into force in Hungary
Hungary’s new anti-drug law has come into force, enabling the hunt for drug criminals to step up a gear, László Horváth, the government commissioner for eradicating the drugs trade, said in an interview to public radio on Sunday.
The hunt for drug criminals to step up a gear
Under the new law, police will be able to immediately seize the assets and equipment of drug dealers, including apartments and cars, if used for drug dealing and distribution — even if they are registered to another individual. Seized assets will remain in custody during the court proceedings, he noted.
Also, it will be possible to ban drug dealers from the area of drug distribution, while distributing new psychoactive substances is no longer considered a misdemeanor but a criminal offence. Further, a repeat drug offender is not eligible for parole.
Consumption is also a crime
Now consumption is also a crime, though drug-takers who identify the drug dealer or help the police with information will receive a lenient sentence, he said.
Meanwhile, police have been empowered to detain anyone in a public space under the influence of drugs for 72 hours, the government commissioner said. Addicts may be in danger of death or aggressive, so they must be detained for a duration of detox, he added.
Many drugs and active ingredients come from China, he said, while cocaine generally comes from Colombia. When it comes to the designer drug market, there are also European supply hubs, he added.
Broaden social cooperation to local communities
But the quantity of drugs on the market has fallen in the past three months, he said, noting the support of many civil society organisations ever since MPs passed the law. The next step, he added, would be to broaden social cooperation to local communities.
Local civil police will be bolstered in the most affected areas, Horváth said. “I’d like local groups to continually monitor what’s going on and focus on children, young people and families who are or may be in danger,” he added.
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