New constitutional amendment can empower authorities to seize drug users
Hungary will cement a ban on the production, distribution, use and promotion of drugs in its constitution, the government commissioner responsible for the elimination of drug trafficking said in Budapest on Thursday.
Before, László Horváth, the government commissioner responsible for the elimination of drug trafficking, talked about possible legislation empowering authorities to arrest and imprison drug users who behave aggressively or are delirious.
The Hungarian authorities launched a manhunt against drug dealers on 1 March with the aim to eradicate drug trafficking and implement a zero-tolerance policy towards drug dealers, Horváth told a press conference. The government wants to create a legal environment that will make police action quicker, more efficient and effective, and deter drug dealers, he added.
Drug dealers will lose all their wealth
Horváth added days ago to Hír TV that he can imagine confiscating all the wealth of the drug dealers because that is the money needed to cover the social cost of drug use. In that case, the dealer would have to prove that his wealth was not acquired by distributing drugs but from other financial sources. He also said that the government could empower local communities to ban drug dealers from their settlements.
Sándor Töreki, a deputy police chief, said the Hungarian police force has drawn up an action plan dubbed “Delta” to fight drug trafficking.
Péter Batyi, a department head at the Pest County Police Headquarters, said the authorities have recently opened criminal investigations against 20 drug dealers and 80 drug users. Fully 4kg of drugs, HUF 7 million (EUR 17,500) in cash and HUF 30 million’s (EUR 75,300) worth of valuables have been seized in recent raids, he said.
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