Certificate of Cooperation to be issued to drug traffickers who cooperate with CNB

Amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act will provide for the Public Prosecutor to issue a "Certificate of Cooperation" if this condition is met. 

This may include providing information leading to the arrest or detention or prosecution of any person involved in any drug trafficking activity. 

The courts will then have the discretion to sentence the defendant to either the death penalty or life imprisonment. 

Those sentenced to life imprisonment will also be liable to caning of at least 15 strokes 

As announced in Parliament on 9 July 2012, two specific conditions are provided for under which the death penalty will no longer be mandatory for drug trafficking. 

First, the trafficker must have only played the role of courier, and must not have been involved in any other activity related to the supply or distribution of drugs. 

Second, discretion will only apply if, having satisfied this first requirement, either the trafficker has cooperated with the CNB in a substantive way, or he has a mental disability which substantially impairs his appreciation of the gravity of the act. 

"Substantive cooperation" is defined as "Substantively assisting in CNB's operations to disrupt drug trafficking activities within or outside of Singapore".

And all accused persons on the death row and who meet the two specific conditions can choose to be considered for re-sentencing when the amendments kick in. 

Among the other changes proposed, the introduction of the temporary listing of new psychoactive substances.

New psychoactive substances, commonly known as "designer drugs" are being developed rapidly. 

The Act will be amended to give the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) the power to seize new psychoactive substances listed in a temporary schedule. 

This will restrict circulation of such psychoactive substances while relevant scientific analysis and industry consultation are conducted. 

Other offences such as trafficking and possession will only apply after the substances have been listed in the relevant permanent schedule. 

Next to enhance detection and deterrence, the Central Narcotic Bureau will introduce hair analysis. 

The amendment will empower law enforcement officers to obtain hair samples. 

The results of hair analysis may be used as one of the considerations to issue a supervision order or review the conditions of an existing order. 

The Ministry says this will complement the current framework for urine testing. 

A new offence has also been created which criminalises the organising of drug gatherings with a minimum sentence of 3 years' imprisonment with the option of caning. 

For gatherings involving the young and vulnerable, the minimum punishment will be 5 years' imprisonment and 3 strokes of the cane. 

All these changes were tabled in Singapore's Parliament to the Misuse of Drugs Act to enhance overall deterrence, support enforcement efforts and improve upstream intervention for young abusers. 

The Home Affairs Ministry says the amendments will also sharpen Singapore's regulatory tools and calibrate its legal framework to enable the Government to tackle drug trafficking more effectively. 

The amendments to the Bill would be debated at the next available sitting of Parliament.