The Senate adopted the “May 2 Law”. Gorghiu: He assures us that all high-risk drug traffickers will be in prison

The Senate adopted, on Monday, as the first forum referred to, the “May 2 Law” initiated by the PNL. Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu declared that it is a legislative initiative that “ensures us that all high-risk drug traffickers will be in prison.” “That’s where they belong,” added the liberal senator.

This project eliminates the possibility of suspending the execution of the sentence under supervision for committing the crimes of high-risk drug trafficking and international high-risk drug trafficking. Also, the initiative foresees the increase from 2-7 years to 3-10 years of the penalties for certain operations with products likely to have psychoactive effects. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body on the draft law.

“It is a key project of the PNL. An essential project for Romanian society, for the safety of today’s young people. It’s a law that ensures that all high-risk drug traffickers will be in prison. That’s where they belong. When we talk about high-risk drugs, we mean: Cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, fentanyl, oxycodone. Those high-risk drugs that destroy destinies. Drug production and trafficking remain the biggest criminal business in the EU”, said Alina Gorghiu, quoted by News.ro.

She also explained that this legislative initiative provides for two main issues.

“First of all, it eliminates the possibility of suspending the execution of the sentence under supervision for committing the crimes of high-risk drug trafficking and international high-risk drug trafficking, provided for by law 143/2000. Secondly, we increase from 2 – 7 years to 3 – 10 years the penalties provided by Law no. 194/2011 for certain facts of carrying out operations with products likely to have psychoactive effects”, Gorghiu also specified.

The Minister of Justice added that “we will have to find levers to stop drug trafficking that generates black money in the underground economy”.

“During 2022, 810 defendants were definitively convicted of drug trafficking offenses (domestic or international). Of these, 402 were sentenced to prison sentences, and for 379 people, the courts issued sentencing decisions with the suspension of the execution of the sentence. We are talking about almost 47% of drug traffickers who, although convicted, do not go to prison. Starting from these things, it is absolutely necessary to vote for this legislative initiative. Only in the first 10 months of 2023, 10,780 cases were registered, with drugs as their object, compared to the previous year, in the same period, 8,484. The battle is not easy! Action must be taken at all levels, from prevention to punishment. I trust that this category of high-risk drug traffickers will be better off in prison as a result of your vote”, added Alina Gorghiu.

Publisher: AP

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