The president of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity held a meeting with top officials of law enforcement structures. RSO Prime Minister Vadim Brovtsev and Head of President’s Administration Arsen Gagloev have also participated in the meeting.
The discussion mainly focused on drug traffic problem on the territory of South Ossetia. As Interior Minister Valery Valiev emphasized in his report, currently there are no heavy drugs, such as heroine, in the republic. “I can tell for sure that use and purchase of these drugs takes place outside the republic. However, here the production and used of drugs made of poppy seeds are frequent here”, said Valiev.
Upon the decision of the RSO President, confectionary poppy seeds are withdrawn from free sale and for administrative penalties are imposed for its distribution As explained by Prosecutor General of RSO Teimuraz Khugaev, confectionary poppy seeds are not narcotics, criminal prosecution is initiated against sick people – drug addicts, and the responsibility of distributors of the substance, which the drug is made of, is limited to penalties.
The president has tasked the law enforcement representatives to speed up the preparation of law-making initiatives to toughen the criminal responsibility for distribution of drugs and confectionary poppy seeds, since the represent a danger for the society. Majority of crimes are committed under the influence of drugs”, said the president. The participants of the meeting emphasized the principal position of the Interior Ministry implementing human resource policies when Interior Ministry staff members are dismissed for either backing up dealers or being drug addicts themselves.
The meeting also focused on the issues of road safety in the republic. It was noted that most frequent were car accidents which happened because of drunk drivers. “It is necessary to toughen sanctions against drunken drivers and impose criminal responsibility for those who break traffic rules. According to the president, a comprehensive approach is needed to settle all the identified problems.
