FSKN suggests classifying drug possession charges by degrees
YEKATERINBURG. March 30 (Interfax) - The Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) has suggested that drug possession charges be classified by degrees.
"We intend to make a more distinct classification of the degrees of drug possession without intent to distribute, retail and wholesale distribution, and organized distribution of drugs," FSKN chief Viktor Ivanov said at a conference in Yekaterinburg on Monday.
So far, the above mentioned crimes belong to the same category of grave and very grave crimes, he said.
"In fact, the law attributes a drug addict, Sidorov, possessing 2.5 grams of heroin without intent to distribute and a local 'Pablo Escobar' drug lord to the same social danger category," Ivanov stated.
The current legislation "is very convenient for crime detection statistics used for demonstration purposes," Ivanov said. The alleged leading role of the Interior Ministry in the deterrence of drug-related crimes "is based exclusively on the gross and demonstrative indicator alleging the detection of 64% of drug-related crimes by the ministry," he said.
"This disorients and misleads society and the national administration because 70,000 from 83,000 criminals charged by the Interior Ministry on drug-related counts, or 85%, are average drug addicts who are possessing a dose or two without intent to distribute," the FSKN chief said.
It is necessary to review the degree of social danger posed by drug possession and divide into categories the counts determined by relevant articles of the Russian Criminal Code, Ivanov said.
In his opinion, it is time to start a large-scale reform of the legislation for supporting the effective strategy of Russia's drug control police in the period until 2020. "So far, the criminal investigation policy is being held in an inverted conscience style, and law enforcement authorities have to crack down on average drug addicts and users and put them in jail," Ivanov said.
