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DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT Act 41 of 2000 – 5 December 2001

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION PART I – PRELIMINARY

1. Short title 2. Interpretation 3. Classification of dangerous drugs 4. Reference to Pharmacy Act PART II – CONTROL OF

DANGEROUS DRUGS 5. Cultivation 6. Prohibition of substances and

preparations listed in First Schedule 7. Medical or scientific research or

teaching 8. Licensing of substances and

preparations listed in Second and Third Schedules

9. Dangerous Drugs Tribunal 10. Limitation of stocks 11. Safety measures 12. Import and export 13. Drugs in transit 14. Interference with dangerous drugs

in transit 15. Diversion certificates 16. Free trade zones and free ports 17. Supply of drugs to an

authorised person 18. Prescription of drugs by an

authorised person 19. Supply of drugs on prescription 20. Packaging and labelling 21. Possession of drugs 22. International carriers 23. Keeping of registers 24. Books of medical practitioner or

pharmacist 25. Records 26. Retention of documents 27. Provisions applicable to Fourth

Schedule substances (precursors)

28. Inspection PART III – OFFENCES 29. Penalty for unlawful activities 30. Drug dealing offences 31. Detention for drug dealing 32. — 33. Precursors, materials and

equipment 34. Unlawful use of drugs 35. Offering or selling for personal

consumption 36. Facilitating or permitting drug

offences 37. Making false declaration 38. Incitement to drug offences and

unlawful use 39. Money laundering 40. Driving while under influence of a

dangerous drug 41. Aggravating circumstances 42. Giving false statements or false

evidence 43. Exemption and mitigation of

penalties 44. Additional penalties 45. – 45A — 46. Burden of proof 47. Jurisdiction 48. Minimum penalty 49. Powers of entry and search 50. Issue of search warrant and

presumptions 51. Powers of seizure 52. Unlawful consignment by post 53. Body and luggage searches 54. Drugs concealed in body 55. Controlled delivery 56. Powers of investigation

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SECTION 57. Arrest without warrant and

detention 58. Conservation and sample-taking 59. Admissibility of certain evidence PART IV – MISCELLANEOUS 60. Regulations 61. – 63. —

FIRST SCHEDULE SECOND SCHEDULE THIRD SCHEDULE FOURTH SCHEDULE FIFTH SCHEDULE SIXTH SCHEDULE SEVENTH SCHEDULE



DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT

PART I – PRELIMINARY

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Dangerous Drugs Act.

2. Interpretation

“ADSU” means the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit of the Police organised for the prevention and detection of offences in connection with dangerous drugs;

“authorised person” means a medical practitioner, pharmacist, dental surgeon or veterinary surgeon, in the exercise of his profession;

“Authority” means a body or person empowered to grant import and export authorisations and diversion certificates and, in relation to Mauritius, means the Permanent Secretary acting in accordance with sections 12, 13, 14 and 15;

“bank” has the same meaning as in the Banking Act;

“coca leaves” means the leaves of any plant of the genus erythroxy- laceae from which cocaine can be extracted directly or by chemical trans- formation;

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner appointed under section 45 (8);

“container” means any wrapper or receptacle;

“controlled delivery” has the meaning assigned to it in section 55;

“Conventions” means the United Nations 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the Protocol of 1972 on Narcotic Drugs, 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;

“corresponding law” means a law stated, in a certificate purporting to be issued by or on behalf of the Government of any country other than

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Mauritius, to be a law providing for the control and regulation in that country of the manufacture, sale, use, export and import of dangerous drugs in accordance with the Conventions;

“cultivation” includes the entire process of supervising the growth of a plant, from preparation of the soil up to and including harvest;

“dangerous drug” means—

(a) any plant or part thereof or substance listed in the First, Second or Third Schedule;

(b) the isomers of the listed drugs, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation;

(c) the esters and ethers of the drugs listed in the First, Second or Third Schedule whenever their existence is possible;

(d) the salts and esters of the drugs listed in the First, Second or Third Schedule including the salts of ethers and isomers when- ever the existence of such salts is possible;

(e) the preparations of these substances, other than those listed in the Fifth Schedule;

“diversion certificate” means a certificate in the form prescribed, issued by the Authority;

“drug offence” means an offence under this Act;

“export” does not apply to a dangerous drug in transit in Mauritius;

“export authorisation” means an authorisation issued by the Authority in a country from which a dangerous drug is exported;

“family” in relation to a person, means—

(a) a spouse, concubine or paramour of that person;

(b) his legitimate, illegitimate, natural or adopted child;

(c) a brother or sister of that person;

(d) the lineal ascendant or descendant of that person; or

(e) a brother, sister, concubine or paramour of the spouse of that person;

“financial institution” means—

(a) a bank, non-bank deposit taking institution, or cash dealer, licensed or required to be licensed under the Bank of Mauritius Act;

(b) an institution, or a person, licensed or required to be licensed under the Insurance Act or the Securities Act;

(c) a management company, or registered agent, licensed or required to be licensed under the Financial Services Act.

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“gandia” means bhang, babzi, siddhi and all the parts of the plant known as Cannabis Sativa L or Cannabis Indica but does not include hashish, charras or chiras;

“Government store” means any place of storage approved by the Per- manent Secretary;

“hashish”, “charras” or “chiras” means the resin obtained from the can- nabis plant;

“import” does not apply to a dangerous drug in transit in Mauritius;

“Indian hemp” means the dried flowering or fruiting tops of the can- nabis plant from which the resin has not been extracted;

“Judge” means a Judge of the Supreme Court;

“manufacture” means the entire process of producing a substance in consumable state, including extraction, refining and transformation by chemical reaction;

“Minister” means the Minister to whom responsibility for the subject of health is assigned;

“Permanent Secretary” means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry or any officer of that Ministry to whom he has delegated any of his powers under this Act;

“possessions”—

(a) means property of any kind, nature or description, whether mov- able or immovable, tangible or intangible; and

(b) includes—

(i) any cash in a bank account or bank deposit, whether in a person’s own name or in a fictitious name;

(ii) any currency, whether or not the currency is legal tender in Mauritius, and any bill, security, bond, negotiable instru- ment or any instrument capable of being negotiated which is payable to bearer or endorsed payable to bearer, whether expressed in Mauritius currency or otherwise;

(iii) any balance held in Mauritius currency or in any other currency in accounts with any bank which carries on busi- ness in Mauritius or elsewhere;

(iv) any balance held in any currency with any bank outside Mauritius;

(v) motor vehicles, ships, aircraft, boats, works of art, jewel- lery, precious metals or any other item of value; and

(vi) any right or interest in property;

“precursor” means any substance listed in the Fourth Schedule;

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“preparation” means— (a) a solution or mixture, in whatever physical state, containing a

dangerous drug; (b) a dangerous drug in dosage form;

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under section 60;

“prescription” means a prescription given by an authorised person for the supply of a dangerous drug for purposes of treatment given by him in the exercise of his profession;

“production” includes manufacture, processing, testing, mixing, dilution, cutting, packing and labelling;

“raw opium” means the spontaneously coagulated juice obtained from capsules of the Papaver Sommiferum L whatever its content of morphine, which has been submitted only to the manipulations necessary for pack- ing and transport;

“recipient” means a person to whom a dangerous drug is to be supplied. [S. 2 amended by s. 3 of Act 29 of 2003 w.e.f. 1 September 2003; s. 9 (a) of Act 14 of 2009

w.e.f. 30 July 2009; s. 9 of Act 20 of 2011 w.e.f. 16 July 2011.]

3. Classification of dangerous drugs

(1) Each of the dangerous drugs to which this Act applies is listed in either the First, Second or Third Schedule and different measures of control are specified in this Act according to the classification so adopted, depend- ent upon the degree of seriousness of the risk to public health of each such dangerous drug and the presence or otherwise of a medical use for it.

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(2) All substances used in the manufacture of narcotic drugs and psycho- tropic substances as classified by the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, or otherwise, are included as precursors in the Fourth Schedule.

(3) Plants and substances are included in the appropriate Schedule under their respective international non-proprietary names, or, lacking such a name, under their chemical names.

(4) Solid or liquid mixtures containing one or more substances governed by this Act, when divided into dosage units, are deemed to be preparations of dangerous drugs and subject to the same conditions as the substances they contain and preparations containing 2 or more substances subject to different conditions shall be subject to those conditions governing the most strictly controlled of their constituent substances.

(5) The Minister may, by regulations under section 60, exempt prepara- tions containing a substance listed in the Second, Third or Fourth Schedule from such measure of control provided in this Act as may be specified in those regulations, when he is satisfied that those preparations are so compounded as to present no or no significant risk of abuse and that the substance cannot be readily recovered from them in a quantity sufficient to present such a risk.

4. Reference to Pharmacy Act

The substances listed in the Second and Third Schedules and their prepa- rations shall be subject, in addition, to this Act, to the provisions of the Phar- macy Act to the extent that such provisions are consistent with those con- tained in this Act.

PART II – CONTROL OF DANGEROUS DRUGS

5. Cultivation

(1) No person shall cultivate the opium poppy, coca bush or cannabis plant.

(2) A police officer may uproot or otherwise destroy any opium poppy, coca bush or cannabis plant found growing upon any land held or occupied under any title whatever and may take and remove samples for analysis and safe keeping as specified in section 58.

6. Prohibition of substances and preparations listed in First Schedule

Subject to section 7, no person shall at any time produce, manufacture, trade by wholesale or retail, distribute, transport, possess, supply, transfer (free or for payment), purchase, use, import, export or transit across Mauritius any of the plants, substances and preparations listed in the First Schedule.

7. Medical or scientific research or teaching

(1) For the purposes of medical or scientific research or teaching or the use of the forensic science services, the Permanent Secretary may authorise

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a person to cultivate, produce, manufacture, acquire, import, use or hold plants, substances and preparations listed in the First, Second and Third Schedules in quantities not exceeding those strictly required for the purpose in question.

(2) Any person authorised under subsection (1) shall keep a register in which he shall enter— (a) the quantities of listed plants, substances and preparations

which he respectively imports, acquires, manufactures and destroys;

(b) the date or dates of each such operation, together with the names of his respective suppliers.

(3) Any person so authorised shall furnish the Permanent Secretary with an annual report as to the quantities which he has used or destroyed during the preceding year and the quantities which he holds in stock.

(4) Every register maintained under subsection (2) shall be so maintained for a period of 5 years following the making of the last entry therein.

8. Licensing of substances and preparations listed in Second and Third Schedules

(1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall cultivate, produce, manu- facture, trade by wholesale or retail, distribute, or use any of the plants, substances and preparations listed in the Second and Third Schedules unless he is expressly licensed for that purpose, and no person shall do so at any establishment or on any premises not expressly licensed for that purpose.

(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply to State-owned enterprises specially authorised in writing by the Minister or to their employees acting in that capacity.

(3) (a) Any person who wishes to engage in the operations mentioned in subsection (1) shall make an application on the prescribed form to the Per- manent Secretary.

(b) The Permanent Secretary shall, on receipt of an application, verify the character and professional qualifications of the applicant and of any person responsible for carrying out the obligations laid down in this Act and in the licence and may, subject to subsections (2) and (6), grant the licence.

(c) A licence issued under this subsection shall indicate the sub- stances and preparations involved in the authorised activity, the quantities that may be involved, the form of bookkeeping required, and all other obliga- tions which the licensee must fulfill.

(4) (a) Any person who wishes to use all or part of the establishments and premises of licensed private enterprises or specially authorised State en- terprises for the production, manufacture, wholesale trading and distribution, international trading, or use of the plants, substances and preparations listed in the Second and Third Schedules shall make an application on the pre- scribed form to the Permanent Secretary.

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(b) The Permanent Secretary may, on receipt of an application and after verifying that the establishments and premises, or parts thereof to be used, comply with the security standards established by the Ministry, grant the licence.

(5) Every licence issued under this section shall indicate upon its face its period of validity.

(6) The Permanent Secretary may revoke or suspend a licence for any pe- riod not exceeding 6 months, in the event of irregularities in the exercise of the authorised activity, of particular breaches of the obligations laid down in the licence or of negligence on the part of the staff, or if the relevant appli- cation for the licence contained an inaccurate statement of fact.

(7) No licence shall be issued to any person convicted of an offence un- der this Act and any licence purporting to be issued to such a person shall be null and void.

(8) Where any person who has been issued with a licence under this sec- tion is convicted of an offence under this Act, the Permanent Secretary shall forthwith withdraw and cancel the licence.

(9) Where any person who has been issued with a licence under this sec- tion is charged with an offence under this Act, the Permanent Secretary may, in his discretion, suspend the operation of the licence until the final de- termination of the charge by a Court of law.

9. Dangerous Drugs Tribunal

(1) Where the Permanent Secretary has reason to suspect that an author- ised person is supplying to or prescribing for any person a dangerous drug oth- erwise than is properly required or in excess of the amount that is properly required for the medical or dental treatment of that person or the veterinary treatment of an animal, he may, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, refer the matter for inquiry to an ad hoc Dangerous Drugs Tribunal.

(2) The Tribunal referred to in subsection (1) shall consist of a Chairper- son who shall be a barrister at law and—

(a) 3 medical practitioners, where the authorised person is a medical practitioner;

(b) 3 dental surgeons, where the authorised person is a dental surgeon;

(c) 3 veterinary surgeons, where the authorised person is a veteri- nary surgeon; or

(d) 3 pharmacists, where the authorised person is a pharmacist.

(3) The members of the Tribunal shall be appointed by the Minister on such terms and conditions as he thinks fit.

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(4) The Tribunal shall have all the powers of the Supreme Court to sum- mon and examine witnesses on oath and to order the production of docu- ments or other articles in evidence.

(5) The Tribunal, having considered any matter referred to it under sub- section (1), shall make its recommendation to the Minister.

(6) The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Tribunal—

(a) withdraw the authority of the authorised person to supply, pro- cure or be in possession of any dangerous drugs; and

(b) direct that no prescription containing a dangerous drug shall be issued by that authorised person.

(7) Notice of any withdrawal of authority or direction under subsec- tion (6) shall be published in the Gazette.

10. Limitation of stocks

(1) On or before 31 December each year, the Permanent Secretary shall, in the light of the prevailing market conditions, lay down the maximum quan- tities of the various substances and preparations that each licensed private enterprise and specially authorised State-owned enterprise under this Part may manufacture or stock, during the following year, as required for the normal conduct of its business.

(2) The Permanent Secretary may at any time alter the limits laid down by him in accordance with subsection (1), and shall promptly notify each li- censee in writing of the limits applicable to it under subsection (1) or, as the case may be, under this subsection.

(3) The Permanent Secretary may, where he is satisfied that a person authorised to stock a dangerous drug holds a quantity in excess of his annual entitlement, requisition the surplus quantity of the drug upon payment of an amount not less than the amount paid to acquire the drug.

11. Safety measures

Every person authorised under this Act to hold dangerous drugs shall take such safety measures as are necessary for the storage and transport of the drugs, in order to prevent theft or any other form of diversion or loss.

12. Import and export

(1) Any person who exports or imports dangerous drugs shall apply for separate authorisation from the Permanent Secretary on a standard form es- tablished by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations Eco- nomic and Social Council as specified in regulations made under section 60.

(2) (a) An application for authorisation shall indicate—

(i) the nature of the operation envisaged;

(ii) the names and addresses of the importer and exporter and, if known, those of the consignee;

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(iii) the international non-proprietary name of each substance or, fail- ing this, the name of the substance in the Schedules, the phar- maceutical form and, in the case of a preparation, its name if it has one, the quantity of each substance and preparation in- volved in the operation, the period during which the operation shall take place, the mode of transport or shipment to be used, and the point of entry into, or of departure from, Mauritius.

(b) The import certificate issued by the Government of the importing country or territory shall be attached to every application for export.

(3) (a) An import or export authorisation shall contain the same details as the relevant application regarding the operation that it permits.

(b) The import authorisation shall specify whether the import is to be effected in a single consignment or may be effected in more than one consignment.

(c) The export authorisation shall also indicate the number and date of the import certificate, affirming that the import of the substance or the preparation has been authorised.

(4) After an imported consignment has entered Mauritius or when the pe- riod stipulated in the import authorisation has expired, the Permanent Secre- tary shall send the export authorisation to the Government of the exporting country or territory, with an endorsement specifying the quantity of each plant, substance and preparation actually imported.

(5) Every dangerous drug shall—

(a) on importation, be kept at a Government store at the risk and expense of the importer;

(b) be delivered or taken from the Government store only on produc- tion by and in the presence of the authorised person, of a delivery permit signed by the Permanent Secretary in the form prescribed.

(6) Any commercial document, such as an invoice, a cargo manifest or a customs, transport or other shipping document, shall include the names of the plants and substances listed in the Schedules, the names of the prepara- tions, if they have one, the quantities exported from Mauritius or to be im- ported into it, and the name and address of the exporter, the importer and, where available, the consignee.

(7) Any consignment entering or leaving Mauritius shall—

(a) be detained by the customs authorities until the legitimacy of the consignment is confirmed or until a Court orders its forfeiture, where it is not accompanied by a proper export or import au- thorisation; and

(b) be seized where no export or import authorisation has been granted.

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13. Drugs in transit

(1) Subject to subsection (5), no person shall bring any dangerous drug to Mauritius in transit, unless the dangerous drug is accompanied by valid export and import authorisations.

(2) Where a dangerous drug in transit is accompanied by an export au- thorisation or diversion certificate and the Permanent Secretary has reason- able grounds to believe that the authorisation or certificate is false or has been obtained by fraud or wilful misrepresentation of a material particular, he may seize and detain the dangerous drug to which the authorisation or cer- tificate relates.

(3) The Permanent Secretary shall, on being satisfied that the export au- thorisation or diversion certificate is valid, release any dangerous drug de- tained under subsection (2).

(4) Where a dangerous drug brought in transit is landed or transhipped in Mauritius, it shall remain under the control of the Permanent Secretary and be kept in a Government store.

(5) Subsection (1) shall not apply to a dangerous drug in transit by post or to any dangerous drug bona fide forming part of the medical stores of any ship or aircraft.

14. Interference with dangerous drugs in transit

No person shall—

(a) cause a dangerous drug lawfully in transit to be subjected to any process which could alter its nature;

(b) wilfully open or break any package or container containing any dangerous drug lawfully in transit,

otherwise than in accordance with instructions issued by the Permanent Secretary.

15. Diversion certificates

(1) The Permanent Secretary may, upon production to him of a valid im- port authorisation issued by an Authority in the country to which it is pro- posed to divert a dangerous drug, issue a diversion certificate in respect of a dangerous drug in transit.

(2) A diversion certificate shall be in duplicate and—

(a) one copy shall accompany the dangerous drug when it is sent from Mauritius; and

(b) the other copy shall be forwarded by the Permanent Secretary to the Authority in the country to which the consignment has been diverted.

(3) On the issue of a diversion certificate, any person holding the export authorisation or diversion certificate accompanying the dangerous drug on its

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arrival in Mauritius shall remit it to the Permanent Secretary who shall return it to the Authority issuing it, together with notice of the name of the country to which the consignment has been diverted.

(4) No person shall, except under the authority of a diversion certificate, cause or procure any dangerous drug lawfully brought in transit to be di- verted to any destination other than that to which it was originally consigned.

16. Free trade zones and free ports

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other enactment, all free ports and free trade zones shall be subject to the same control and supervision under the provisions of this Act as other parts of Mauritius.

17. Supply of drugs to an authorised person

(1) Every authorised person who requires a supply of a dangerous drug shall make an application to the supplier in a form approved by the Perma- nent Secretary in triplicate.

(2) Where a supplier receives an application under subsection (1), he shall—

(a) endorse the original and each copy with—

(i) a serial number corresponding to the relevant entry made in the Prescriptions Book kept under the Pharmacy Act; and

(ii) a statement of the amount of any dangerous drug actually supplied by him;

(b) deliver the original and a copy with the dangerous drug to the recipient who shall complete both the original and the copy and return the original to the supplier.

(3) Every original and every copy of an application furnished under this section shall be—

(a) serially numbered for each year; and

(b) kept by the supplier and the recipient for inspection purposes.

(4) No pharmacist shall dispense, prepare, supply or cause to be dis- pensed, prepared or supplied any dangerous drug under a prescription issued by an authorised person in respect of whom a direction has been given in accordance with section 9 (6) (b).

18. Prescription of drugs by an authorised person

(1) Subject to subsection (3), an authorised person who prescribes a dangerous drug shall—

(a) handwrite the prescription, date and sign it;

(b) give his name and address;

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(c) give the name and address of the person for whom the danger- ous drug is prescribed, or, where it is given by a veterinary sur- geon, of the person to whom the dangerous drug prescribed is to be delivered;

(d) where he is a dentist, write the words “FOR LOCAL DENTAL TREATMENT ONLY”, or where he is a veterinary surgeon, write the words “FOR ANIMAL TREATMENT ONLY”; and

(e) specify in figures and words the total amount of the dangerous drug to be supplied, or, where the dangerous drug is packed in ampoules, either the total amount to be supplied or the total amount intended to be administered or injected.

(2) No authorised person shall issue a prescription for the supply of a dangerous drug to himself or for his own use.

(3) No authorised person shall, otherwise than on prescribed forms, pre- scribe the dangerous drugs listed in the Second Schedule and such other dan- gerous drugs listed in the Third Schedule as may be specified in regulations.

(4) No authorised person shall prescribe any dangerous drug—

(a) for a period of treatment exceeding 10 days— (i) in the case of drugs listed in the Second Schedule; and (ii) in the case of such of the drugs listed in the Third Schedule

as may be prescribed;

(b) for a period of treatment exceeding one month in the case of all other dangerous drugs listed in the Third Schedule.

19. Supply of drugs on prescription

(1) No person shall supply a dangerous drug on prescription unless—

(a) the prescription complies with section 18;

(b) he has taken such reasonable steps as may be necessary to as- certain that the prescription is genuine;

(c) the prescription is presented for dispensing not later than 7 days after the date of the prescription.

(2) No person shall supply a dangerous drug more than once on a prescription.

(3) Every person dispensing a dangerous drug on prescription shall—

(a) at the time of dispensing, mark on the prescription the date on which it is dispensed;

(b) keep the prescription on the premises where the dangerous drug prescribed has been dispensed;

(c) deliver to the person for whose use the dangerous drug was sup- plied or to his agent a copy of the prescription bearing—

(i) the serial number of the prescription;

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(ii) the date on which the prescription was dispensed;

(iii) the stamp of the pharmacy; and

(d) forthwith notify the Permanent Secretary of any suspect pre- scription, specifically as regards the quantity of dangerous drugs prescribed and the repetition of any such prescriptions.

20. Packaging and labelling

(1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall supply a dangerous drug otherwise than in a container labelled—

(a) in the case of a powder, solution or ointment, with the total quantity of the dangerous drug supplied and the percentage of the dangerous drug contained in it;

(b) in the case of tablets and other articles, with the total quantity of the dangerous drug contained in the tablet or article;

(c) in the case of substances and preparations listed in the Second Schedule, a double red band.

(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply to a dangerous drug dispensed by, or on the prescription of, a medical practitioner, dental surgeon or veterinary surgeon.

(3) The outer wrapping of parcels for consignment containing dangerous drugs shall bear no information other than the names and addresses of the sender and the consignee and shall be sealed with the sender’s mark.

21. Possession of drugs

(1) No person shall possess any dangerous drug unless he is authorised to do so under this Act.

(2) A person shall be deemed to possess a dangerous drug if it is in his custody or is held by another person subject to his control, or on his behalf, or if it is in or upon enclosed premises or a vehicle, boat or aircraft which is for the time being subject to his control.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), a person to whom a dangerous drug is law- fully supplied for his own use shall be deemed to be a person authorised to possess the drug so supplied.

(4) Where a dangerous drug is supplied or prescribed by an authorised person for a patient and is also being supplied to the same patient by another authorised person, the patient shall not be deemed to be a person authorised to be in possession of any of those dangerous drugs unless the patient dis- closed to the first-mentioned authorised person that he was already being supplied with the dangerous drug by that other authorised person.

(5) An authorised person, any person employed or engaged in dispensing medicines at a hospital or any person in charge of any laboratory attached to

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a college, hospital or other institution approved by the Minister for purposes of research or instruction, may possess such dangerous drugs so as may be necessary for the practice of his profession or employment.

22. International carriers

The Minister may authorise ships, aircraft and other public transport con- veyances registered in Mauritius and engaged in international travel to carry small quantities of medicines listed in the Second and Third Schedules within the limits required for the provision of first aid in emergency cases.

23. Keeping of registers

(1) Subject to section 24, every person who supplies a dangerous drug shall—

(a) keep a register in which entries shall be made by him or by a person under his control concerning every supply of a dangerous drug purchased or otherwise obtained by him and every transac- tion effected by him with respect to a dangerous drug;

(b) make an entry in the register— (i) in respect of a dangerous drug obtained by him, on the day

the dangerous drug is received;

(ii) in respect of any sale or supply by him of a dangerous drug, on the day on which the transaction is effected;

(c) where he carries on business at more than one set of premises, keep a separate register in respect of each set of premises;

(d) keep the register in the part of the premises to which it relates;

(e) make every entry in chronological sequence in ink;

(f) make no correction of any entry otherwise than by a marginal note or footnote initialled and dated by him, giving the particu- lars of the correction;

(g) on or before 15 January in every year, furnish the Permanent Secretary with a statement in the prescribed form containing all information respecting any dangerous drug delivered to him or obtained from him and the stock of dangerous drugs during the preceding year; and

(h) on request, give to the Permanent Secretary such particulars of his stock of dangerous drugs or of any transaction involving a dangerous drug as the Permanent Secretary may require.

(2) A register kept under subsection (1) shall—

(a) be in the prescribed form;

(b) have every page numbered serially.

(3) No entry in a register shall be cancelled, obliterated or altered.

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(4) Every entry made under subsection (1) shall be expressed— (a) in the case of a solid, in grammes; (b) in the case of a powder, solution or ointment, in terms of the

total quantity of the dangerous drugs supplied and the percent- age of the dangerous drug contained in it;

(c) in the case of tablets and other articles, in terms of the total quantity of the dangerous drugs contained in the tablet or article; and

(d) in the case of a liquid, in millilitres.

(5) A separate register may, with the approval of the Permanent Secre- tary, be kept for each branch of any business relating to the sale and supply of dangerous drugs.

24. Books of medical practitioner or pharmacist

(1) Section 23 shall not apply to— (a) a medical practitioner who enters— (i) in a day book particulars of every dangerous drug obtained

by him and of every dangerous drug supplied by him, to- gether with the name and address of the person to whom and the date on which the dangerous drug is supplied; and

(ii) on the same date as the entry in the day book, in a sepa- rate book particulars of any dangerous drug obtained by him and a reference for easy identification of each entry in the day book which relates to the supply of a dangerous drug;

(b) a pharmacist retailing poisons who on the same date as he makes an entry in the poisons register kept by him under the Pharmacy Act enters in a day book kept for the purpose, particu- lars of every dangerous drug supplied by him and a reference for easy identification of each corresponding entry in the Poisons Register.

(2) Every reference made in a separate book under subsection (1) shall be in chronological order and the book shall be divided into separate parts relat- ing to each category of dangerous drugs and shall be used only for the pur- poses of subsection (1).

(3) Every entry in a day book or separate book under this section shall be made— (a) on the same day and in the same manner as an entry would

otherwise have been made in the register kept under section 23; and

(b) in chronological order in ink.

(4) No entry made under this section shall be cancelled, obliterated or altered.

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25. Records

(1) Every register kept under section 23, every separate book or day book kept under section 24, and every poisons register containing an entry to which reference is made in the separate book, shall—

(a) be kept on the premises to which such register or book relates or where the prescription was dispensed; and

(b) be available for inspection at all times.

(2) Every person who supplies dangerous drugs shall, on 30 June and 31 December in every year—

(a) check his stock of dangerous drugs and balance each register kept under section 23; and

(b) forthwith report to the Permanent Secretary any discrepancy found to exist as a result of such check.

26. Retention of documents

Every document required to be obtained or kept under this Act shall be preserved—

(a) in the case of a register, book or other like record, for 5 years from the date on which the last entry is made in it; and

(b) in the case of any other document, for 5 years from the date on which it is issued or made.

27. Provisions applicable to Fourth Schedule substances (precursors)

(1) The manufacture, wholesale trading or distribution except for distribu- tion by retail, and international trading of substances listed in the Fourth Schedule shall be subject to the provisions of sections 8 and 12.

(2) An export or import authorisation shall not be granted for a substance listed in the Fourth Schedule if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the consignment is destined for the illicit manufacture of dangerous drugs.

(3) Any manufacturer, importer, exporter, wholesaler and retailer shall enter in a register any acquisition or transfer of substances listed in the Fourth Schedule, at the time of acquisition or transfer without blank spaces, erasures or overwriting, so as to indicate the date of the operation, the name and the quantity of the product acquired or transferred, and the name, ad- dress and profession of both the purchaser and the vendor, except that re- tailers need not enter the name of the purchaser in the register.

(4) The registers maintained under this section shall be kept for 5 years after the last entry, for presentation, whenever requested, to the Permanent Secretary.

(5) Any manufacturer, importer, exporter, wholesaler and retailer shall forthwith notify the Permanent Secretary of any suspect orders and

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operations, specifically as regards the quantity of the substance purchased or ordered, the repetition of such orders and purchases, or the modes of payment or transport used in connection therewith.

(6) Where there is serious ground to warrant the suspicion that a sub- stance listed in the Fourth Schedule is to be used in the unlawful manufac- ture of a dangerous drug, any police officer acting upon the written authority of the Permanent Secretary may forthwith seize and impound that substance and may detain it until a competent Court gives further directions as to its disposition.

28. Inspection

Any person or establishment licensed under this Act shall be subject to inspections carried out, at least every 2 years, in accordance with the provi- sions of the Pharmacy Act.

PART III – OFFENCES

29. Penalty for unlawful activities

(1) Any person who— (a) contravenes any provision of Part II; or (b) obstructs a public officer carrying out his functions under this

Act, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

(2) Any person who— (a) in Mauritius, aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission in

any place outside Mauritius of an offence, which if committed in Mauritius would be an offence against this Act and which is punishable under any corresponding law in force in that place;

(b) in any place outside Mauritius, does any act preparatory to or in furtherance of the commission in Mauritius of an offence against this Act,

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

[S. 29 amended by s. 3 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

30. Drug dealing offences

(1) Any person who unlawfully— (a) organises, manages, or finances any of the offences specified in

this section; (b) imports, exports, causes to be imported or exported, aids, abets,

counsels or procures the importation or exportation of any dan- gerous drug;

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(c) produces, manufactures, extracts, prepares or transforms any dangerous drug;

(d) offers, offers for sale, distributes, sells, brokers, delivers or tran- sports on any terms whatsoever, dispatches, or dispatches in transit any dangerous drug;

(e) cultivates opium poppy, coca bush or cannabis plant; (f) possesses, purchases or offers to purchase any dangerous drug

for the purpose of any activity in this section, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable— (i) where the offence is in respect of a dangerous drug specified in

Part I of the First Schedule, Second Schedule or Third Schedule, to a fine not exceeding one million rupees and to penal servitude for a term not exceeding 25 years;

(ii) where the offence is in respect of a dangerous drug specified in Part II of the First Schedule, to a fine not exceeding one million rupees together with penal servitude for a term which shall not be less than 5 years and not more than 25 years.

(2) Nothing in this section shall render unlawful the act of a police offi- cer, in the execution of his duty for the detection of offences, in offering to buy any dangerous drug.

(3) Where on the trial of a person charged with an offence under subsec- tion (1) (f), it is proved that the possession, purchase or offer to purchase, as the case may be, was not for the purpose of any activity specified in sub- section (1), he shall not by reason thereof be acquitted but the Court may find such person guilty of an offence of possession, purchase or offer to pur- chase, as the case may be, under section 34 (1) (b).

[S. 30 amended by s. 4 of Act 29 of 2003 w.e.f. 1 September 2003; s. 4 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

31. Detention for drug dealing

(1) Where any person is arrested under reasonable suspicion of having committed any offence under section 30, 33, 35, 36, 38 or 39, a police of- ficer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police may, subject to this sec- tion, direct that the person arrested be detained in police custody for a pe- riod not exceeding 36 hours from his arrest, without having access to any person other than a police officer not below the rank of Inspector or a Gov- ernment Medical Officer and, in any such case, that person shall be detained accordingly.

(2) No direction under subsection (1) shall be issued unless the police of- ficer has reasonable grounds to believe that giving access to any person other than the police officer not below the rank of Inspector or the Govern- ment Medical Officer specified in that subsection— (a) will lead to interference with or harm to evidence connected

with an offence under section 30 or 39 or interference with or physical injury to other persons; or

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(b) will lead to the alerting of other persons suspected of having committed such an offence but not yet arrested for it; or

(c) will hinder the recovery of property obtained as a result of such an offence; or

(d) will hinder the recovery of the value of the detained person’s proceeds of drug trafficking.

(3) As soon as a direction is issued under subsection (1), the person de- tained shall be informed that he may, if he so wishes, be examined by a Government Medical Officer.

(4) A custody record containing the information specified in the Sixth Schedule to this Act shall be kept in respect of any person detained pursuant to the powers conferred by this section.

(5) A video recording shall be kept in the manner specified in the Seventh Schedule to this Act in respect of any person detained pursuant to the pow- ers conferred by this section.

(6) A video recording under this section shall, notwithstanding the com- mon law rule against hearsay, be admissible in evidence in the course of any judicial proceedings to the same extent and in the same manner as documen- tary evidence would be admissible.

(7) In this section, “video recording” includes the recording of visual im- ages or sound by electronic or other technological means.

32. — [S. 32 repealed by s. 5 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

33. Precursors, materials and equipments

Any person who unlawfully produces, manufactures, imports, exports, transports, offers, sells, distributes, delivers on any terms whatsoever, con- signs, dispatches, purchases or offers to purchase or holds precursors, equipment or materials—

(a) for the purpose of using them in or for the unlawful cultivation, production or manufacture of dangerous drugs; or

(b) knowing that the precursors, equipment and materials are to be used for any of the purposes specified in paragraph (a),

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

[S. 33 amended by s. 6 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

34. Unlawful use of drugs

(1) Any person who unlawfully—

(a) smokes, inhales, sniffs, consumes or administers to himself in any way whatsoever, any dangerous drug;

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(b) possesses, purchases, offers to purchase or transports any dan- gerous drug;

(c) has in his possession any pipe, syringe, utensil, apparatus or other article for use in connection with smoking, inhaling, sniff- ing, consuming or the administration of any dangerous drug,

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, and subject to subsec- tions (2) and (5), be liable to a fine not exceeding 50,000 rupees and to im- prisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

(2) Subject to subsection (5), before passing a sentence of imprisonment under subsection (1), the Court shall, where it considers this to be appropri- ate, explain to the convicted person that, if he undertakes to co-operate in order to be cured of his addiction, the Court, instead of sentencing him to imprisonment, may order him to undergo, at such institution as may be pre- scribed and for such period not exceeding 3 years as the Court may deter- mine, such treatment, education, aftercare, rehabilitation or social reintegra- tion as the Court thinks appropriate and if he so undertakes, the Court may order accordingly.

(3) (a) Where the Court is satisfied that an order made under subsec- tion (2) has been complied with, the Court shall discharge the offender.

(b) Where a person fails to comply with an order made by the Court under subsection (2), he shall commit an offence and shall be liable to a fine which shall not exceed 10,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term which shall not exceed one year.

(4) The person in charge of the relevant institution prescribed for the purposes of subsection (2) shall notify a police officer attached to ADSU of any persistent failure by any person subject to an order under subsection (2) to comply with the terms of that order.

(5) Notwithstanding subsection (2), a person convicted of an offence un- der subsection (1) (b) and found to have purchased, offered to purchase, transported or been in possession of any dangerous drugs—

(a) listed in Part I of the First Schedule, Second Schedule or Third Schedule, the street value of which is 5,000 rupees or more; or

(b) listed in Part II of the First Schedule, the street value of which is 10,000 rupees or more,

shall be liable to double the maximum penalties specified in respect of that offence under subsection (1).

[S. 34 repealed and replaced by s. 5 of Act 29 of 2003 w.e.f. 1 September 2003; amended by s. 7 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

35. Offering or selling for personal consumption

(1) Any person who unlawfully offers, offers to buy, sells, offers to sell, distributes or offers to distribute any dangerous drug to a person for his per- sonal consumption shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

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(2) Nothing in this section shall render unlawful the act of a police officer in the execution of his duty for the detection of offences, in offering to buy any dangerous drug.

[S. 35 amended by s. 8 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

36. Facilitating or permitting drug offences

Any person who unlawfully— (a) facilitates for any other person the unlawful use of dangerous

drugs, against payment or free of charge, either by procuring premises for that purpose or by any other means or while being a proprietor, manager, director, operator, on any terms whatso- ever, of a hotel, furnished house, boarding house, drinking estab- lishment, restaurant, club, society, dancing hall, entertainment hall or any other premises whatsoever open to the public or used by the public, connives at or permits the use of dangerous drugs in the said establishment or premises;

(b) prescribes dangerous drugs as acts of complaisance, that is to say in the absence of any genuine belief that such a prescription is necessary or desirable in the interests of the health of the per- son for whom they are prescribed;

(c) issues dangerous drugs on presentation of a prescription know- ing the fictitious or complaisant nature of any such prescription;

(d) obtains delivery or supply of dangerous drugs or who attempts to have such drugs delivered or supplied to him by means of a prescription of fictitious or complaisant nature;

(e) administers to, or adds to the food or beverages of, a person without his knowledge, dangerous drugs;

(f) knowingly or negligently permits premises of which he is the owner or which are under his occupation, management or charge to be used—

(i) for concealing or storing any dangerous drug; (ii) for preparing or manufacturing any dangerous drug; or (iii) for the sale of any dangerous drug; (g) knowingly or negligently permits any land of which he is owner

or which is under his occupation, management or charge, to be planted with opium poppy, coca bush or cannabis plant,

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceed- ing 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

[S. 36 amended by s. 9 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

37. Making false declaration

Any person who for the purposes of obtaining for himself or for any per- son the issue, grant or renewal under this Act of a permit, licence, certificate or authorisation or for any other purpose relevant to this Act— (a) knowingly or recklessly makes a declaration or statement which

is false or misleading in any material particular; or

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(b) knowingly utters, produces or makes use of any such declaration or statement or any document containing the same,

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceed- ing 100,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.

[S. 37 amended by s. 10 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

38. Incitement to drug offences and unlawful use

Any person who unlawfully— (a) by any means whatsoever, directly or indirectly incites others to

commit any of the offences specified in this Act, even when such incitement is without effect;

(b) by any means whatsoever, directly or indirectly incites others to make unlawful use of dangerous drugs or of substances pre- sented as having the effects of such drugs,

shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not ex- ceeding 500,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 years.

[S. 38 amended by s. 11 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

39. Money laundering

(1) Every person who unlawfully— (a) acquires, possesses, uses, converts or transfers goods, re-

sources or rights thereto derived or realised, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from any offence under this Act;

(b) conceals or disguises the genuine nature, origin, location, dispo- sition, movement or ownership of the goods, resources or rights thereto derived or realised, in whole or in part, directly or indi- rectly, from any offence under this Act,

where he suspects or has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the goods, resources or rights thereto are derived or realised, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from any offence under this Act, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one million rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 20 years.

(2) A person may be convicted of an offence under this section notwith- standing the absence of a conviction in respect of an offence under this Act, which generated the goods, resources or rights thereto alleged to have been laundered.

(3) In this section, “goods” or “resources” includes possessions. [S. 39 repealed and replaced by s. 9 (b) of Act 14 of 2009 w.e.f. 30 July 2009.]

40. Driving while under influence of a dangerous drug

(1) Any person who drives a motor-powered land vehicle, steers a motor- powered marine craft or flies a motor-powered aircraft while under the influ- ence of a dangerous drug which he has used in an unlawful manner, shall

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commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 10,000 rupees or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years.

(2) Where an offence under subsection (1) results in death of or serious injury to any other person, the person convicted thereof shall be liable to double the maximum penalties specified in subsection (1).

(3) Any person who refuses to submit to such detection tests and verifi- cation procedures as may be prescribed in respect of any offence under sub- section (1), shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to the same penalties as those specified in subsection (1) or (2).

41. Aggravating circumstances

(1) For the purposes of this section, aggravating circumstances shall be deemed to exist whenever—

(a) the offender belongs to a criminal organisation or ring;

(b) he participated in other unlawful activities facilitated by commis- sion of the offence;

(c) he used violence or a weapon in its commission;

(d) he held public office and committed the offence in the purported exercise of that office;

(e) he was a medical practitioner, nurse, dental surgeon, veterinary surgeon or a person responsible for combating the abuse of or traffic in dangerous drugs;

(f) another person under the age of 18 years was concerned in the offence;

(g) the drug was offered or delivered to a person under the age of 18 years or to a mentally handicapped person, or a person un- dergoing treatment involving withdrawal from drug abuse;

(h) the drugs delivered caused death or serious injury to health of some person;

(i) the offence was committed in a penal institution, a police estab- lishment, a school, university or teaching institution, a hospital or clinic, a place of resort used by school children or students for social or recreational purposes or in the immediate vicinity of any such institution, establishment or place;

(j) the offender mixed with the drugs additional substances which aggravated their dangers to health;

(k) the offender was previously convicted, either in Mauritius or elsewhere, of an offence connected with dangerous drugs.

(2) Any person who is convicted of an offence under section 29 (2), 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39 shall, if aggravating circumstances exist, be liable to double the penalties specified in respect of that offence.

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(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), any person convicted of an offence under section 29 (2) or 30 shall be sentenced to a fine not exceeding 2 million rupees together with penal servitude for a term not exceeding 60 years, where it is averred and proved that, having regard to all the circum- stances of the case, the person was a drug trafficker.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), a person shall be deemed to be a drug trafficker where the street value of the drugs, the subject matter of the offence, exceeds one million rupees or such other value as may be prescribed. [S. 41 amended by s. 4 (2) (a) of Act 6 of 2007 w.e.f. 18 June 2007; s. 12 of Act 30 of 2008

w.e.f. 20 February 2009; s. 6 of Act 36 of 2008 w.e.f. 6 December 2008.]

42. Giving false statements or false evidence

(1) Any person who, in connection with any drug offence or for any other purpose relevant to this Act— (a) knowingly or recklessly makes a declaration or statement which

is false or misleading; (b) knowingly produces or makes use of any declaration or docu-

ment which is false or misleading; (c) causes a person, whether directly or indirectly, to make a decla-

ration or statement which is wholly or partly false or misleading; (d) causes a person to alter the content of a previous statement or

declaration with a view to avoiding the prosecution of another person,

shall commit an offence.

(2) Any person who, in relation to a drug offence— (a) gives false or misleading evidence in Court; (b) causes threats or inducement, or persuades or influences, any

witness to give false or misleading evidence in Court, shall commit an offence.

(3) Any person who, whether personally or through another person and in relation to a drug offence, threatens or interferes with a witness or any other person related to the witness, shall commit an offence.

(4) Any person convicted of an offence under subsection (1), (2), or (3) shall be liable to a fine of not less than 10,000 rupees and not exceeding 100,000 rupees together with a term of imprisonment of not less than 2 years and not more than 10 years.

43. Exemption and mitigation of penalties

(1) Any person who has been convicted of a conspiracy to commit any of the offences under section 29 (2), 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39 shall be exempted from penalty and absolutely discharged if, having revealed the conspiracy to the police or to a Court, he has made it possible to prevent the commission of the offence and to identify the other persons involved in the conspiracy.

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(2) Notwithstanding section 41, the penalty incurred by any person con- victed of an offence under that section shall be reduced in such manner as the Court thinks just where that person has, before any proceedings, made possible or facilitated the identification of the other guilty persons, or who, after the commencement of proceedings, has made possible or facilitated the arrest of such persons.

[S. 43 amended by s. 13 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

44. Additional penalties

A Court which convicts any person of an offence under section 40 may, in addition to any penalty prescribed by that section—

(a) in the case of a convicted person who is not deemed to belong to Mauritius under the Deportation Act, recommend to the Minister responsible for internal security that he be deported from Mauritius and that Minister may, in any such case, without further enquiry, make a deportation order in his case under that Act;

(b) order that the convicted person be prohibited, for any period not exceeding 10 years after his release from any term of imprison- ment imposed upon him, from driving any motor-powered land vehicle, steering any motor-powered marine craft or flying any motor-powered aircraft and, in any such case, direct that any relevant licence or permit issued to the convicted person be impounded or suspended.

45. – 45A. — [Ss. 45 and 45A repealed by s. 65 (2) of Act 9 of 2011 w.e.f. 1 February 2012.]

46. Burden of proof

Notwithstanding any other enactment, where in any proceedings for an offence under this Act, a question arises as to whether any person was or was not authorised to be in possession of any dangerous drug, the burden of proof that such a person was authorised to be in possession of such drug, shall lie on that person.

47. Jurisdiction

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a prosecution for an offence under this Act shall take place, at the sole discretion of the Director of Public Prosecutions, before a Judge without a jury, the Intermediate Court or the District Court.

(2) A prosecution for an offence under sections 30 and 41 (3) shall take place before a Judge without a jury where it is averred that the accused person is a drug trafficker.

(3) Notwithstanding any other enactment, the Intermediate Court shall have—

(a) jurisdiction to inflict any fine provided under this Act or imprison- ment for a term not exceeding 20 years;

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(b) power to order sentences of imprisonment imposed under this Act to be served consecutively provided that the terms of such sentences shall not in the aggregate exceed 30 years.

(4) Sections 151, 152, 153 and 197 of the Criminal Procedure Act, sec- tions 50 and 51 of the Reform Institutions Act and the Probation of Offenders Act shall not apply to a conviction for an offence under any of the provisions of this Act other than section 34.

(5) The Court before which a person is convicted of an offence—

(a) shall, in addition to any penalty imposed by the Court, order any dangerous drug or any article, utensil or any instrument in respect or by means of which the offence was committed or any money obtained from the commission of the offence to be forfeited;

(b) may, in addition to any penalty imposed by the Court, order any vehicle or other conveyance used in the unlawful transport or distribution of any dangerous drug to be forfeited;

(c) may, in addition to any penalty imposed by the Court, upon the production of a certificate under the hand of the Commissioner of Police, stating that a specified quantity of drugs is required in order to be used for the purpose of training sniffer dogs, order that such quantity from the dangerous drugs forfeited under paragraph (a) shall be so used.

[S. 47 amended by s. 8 of Act 29 of 2003 w.e.f. 1 September 2003; s. 3 of Act 20 of 2004 w.e.f. 7 August 2004; s. 4 (2) (b) of Act 6 of 2007 w.e.f. 18 June 2007.]

48. Minimum penalty

Where a Court convicts a person of an offence under section 33, 35, 36, 38 or 39, it shall, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Act but sub- ject to the maximum penalty specified in respect of any such offence, inflict a fine of not less than 10,000 rupees together with imprisonment for a term of not less than 12 months.

[S. 48 amended by s. 15 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

49. Powers of entry and search

The Permanent Secretary, or any police officer not below the rank of Inspector of Police authorised by the Commissioner of Police, may, for the purposes of this Act—

(a) enter the premises of any authorised person or of any person carrying on the business of a producer, manufacturer, seller or distributor of any dangerous drug;

(b) require the production of and inspect any book or document required to be kept under this Act or any regulations made under section 60;

(c) inspect any stock of any dangerous drug.

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50. Issue of search warrant and presumptions

(1) Where a Magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence has been or may be commit- ted against this Act, he may grant a search warrant authorising any police officer named in the warrant, at any time, within one month from the date of the warrant, to enter, with assistants and if need be by force, the premises named in the warrant and to search them and any person found there and, if there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence against this Act has been committed, to seize any drug, pipe, utensil, article or related thing found on the premises or in the possession of any such person.

(2) Where upon entry into any premises under subsection (1) it is found that such premises are equipped with such unusual or unusually numerous contrivances or means as are calculated to prevent or obstruct an entry or to enable persons therein to observe or ascertain the approach of any person, or to give alarm or facilitate escape from such premises, or if all doors, windows and means of entry are so bolted or obstructed that, even with the use of force, access to the premises is abnormally delayed, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the premises are used for the smoking, inhaling, sniffing or consumption of dangerous drugs and that the occupier, if any, of those premises has facilitated such use.

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(3) Where upon entry into any premises under subsection (1)— (a) any dangerous drug or any pipe, utensil or thing for use in con-

nection with the smoking, inhaling, sniffing or consumption of dangerous drugs is found therein;

(b) any person is seen to escape from those premises on the ap- proach or entry of a police officer; or

(c) any person having authority under the search warrant to enter such premises is unlawfully prevented from or obstructed or de- layed in entering or approaching such premises,

it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the premises are used for the smoking, inhaling, sniffing or consumption of dangerous drugs.

51. Powers of seizure

(1) Where any person is arrested either in pursuance of a warrant for his arrest or of the powers conferred by section 57, any police officer or cus- toms officer may seize and detain any plant or substance reasonably sus- pected by him to be a dangerous drug and found in the possession of the arrested person or in such circumstances that it may reasonably be inferred that the arrested person was in possession of it shortly before his arrest.

(2) The powers of seizure and detention conferred by subsection (1) shall also extend to any materials, equipment, devices and other movables fit and intended for use in connection with the commission of the offence for which the person is arrested or reasonably suspected of having been used in its commission and which may be found in the possession of the arrested per- son or in the circumstances mentioned in that subsection.

(3) Any dangerous drug seized in pursuance of this subsection shall be dealt with in accordance with section 58.

52. Unlawful consignment by post

(1) Where a Magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground to suspect that an unlawful consignment of dangerous drugs is being forwarded through postal services, he may grant a warrant authorising any police officer or proper officer to carry out, at any time, in- spections in the postal services in order to detect that consignment and when- ever such inspections disclose a reasonable suspicion that a particular postal package is in fact such a consignment, a police officer or proper officer may proceed to open and detain the consignment for further investigation.

(2) For the purposes of this section, “proper officer” means the proper officer referred to in the Customs Act.

[S. 52 amended by s. 10 of Act 17 of 2007 w.e.f. 22 August 2007.]

53. Body and luggage searches

(1) Subject to subsection (2), any police officer or customs officer may at any point of entry into Mauritius carry out body searches and searches of luggage whenever he has reason to suspect that a person seeking to enter Mauritius may be concerned in the commission of an offence against this Act.

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(2) No woman shall be subjected to body search except by a woman po- lice officer, woman customs officer or a police wardress.

54. Drugs concealed in body

(1) Where a Magistrate is satisfied by information on oath from a police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police that a person is rea- sonably suspected of having concealed any dangerous drug inside his body, he may make an order for that person to be submitted to— (a) such medical examination including X-ray or other tests as may

be necessary to detect the substance; and (b) such medical treatment as may be considered appropriate in the

circumstances.

(2) The medical practitioner who conducts any examination under sub- section (1) (a) shall forthwith submit an official report thereon to the police officer.

(3) Any person who refuses to submit to such a medical examination shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not ex- ceeding 100,000 rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.

[S. 54 amended by s. 16 of Act 30 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 February 2009.]

55. Controlled delivery

(1) A police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police may authorise the passage or entry into Mauritius of any consignment of danger- ous drugs suspected of being dispatched with a view to the commission of an offence under this Act, for the purpose of identifying the persons involved in the commission of such an offence.

(2) The police officer may, if he thinks fit, cause the consignment to be lawfully intercepted and allowed to proceed upon its way either intact or af- ter seizure of the dangerous drugs contained therein and may also direct their replacement by substances other than dangerous drugs.

(3) The exercise of any of the powers contained in this section shall af- ford no defence to any person charged with an offence under section 30 or with conspiracy to commit any such offence.

continued on page D2 – 33

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56. Powers of investigation

(1) Where a Judge in Chambers is satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground to suspect that an offence under section 30, 33, 35, 36 or 39 has been or is likely to be committed, he may issue a warrant authorising any police officer to—

(a) tap or place under surveillance, for a period not exceeding 6 months, the telephone lines used by persons suspected of par- ticipation in any of those offences;

(b) have access to the computer systems used by persons sus- pected of participation in any of the offences referred to and place them under surveillance;

(c) place a bank account under surveillance when it is suspected of being used for operations related to any of the offences referred to;

(d) have access to all bank, financial and commercial records that may reasonably concern transactions related to any of those offences.

(2) Notwithstanding any other enactment, no person shall, on grounds of professional secrecy or otherwise, refuse to comply with the requirements of a warrant issued under subsection (1).

57. Arrest without warrant and detention

Any police, forest or customs officer may, without warrant, arrest any person who has committed or attempted to commit, or is reasonably sus- pected by any such officer of having committed or attempted to commit, an offence under this Act, where that officer has reasonable grounds for believ- ing that the person will abscond unless arrested or where the name and ad- dress of that person are unknown and cannot be readily ascertained.

58. Conservation and sample-taking

(1) (a) Any person who effects a seizure under section 5 or 51 shall—

(i) as soon as they are discovered, place any drugs under seal in the presence of the accused, or if that is impossible, in the pres- ence of 2 witnesses;

(ii) secure the drugs and other items of evidentiary value in such manner as to prevent their fraudulent removal;

(iii) number each sealed item and keep it in a place of safety in po- lice custody;

(iv) write on its wrapping or on a label affixed thereon, the descrip- tion of the dangerous drugs that it contains, together with an in- dication of their nature and weight, as well as, where appropri- ate, the number of the packages in which the dangerous drugs are contained.

Dangerous Drugs Act

[Issue 1] D2 – 34

(b) Any such person shall immediately draw up and sign a written report which shall—

(i) mention the date, place and circumstances of the discovery;

(ii) describe the dangerous drugs seized;

(iii) specify their weight;

(iv) give the number of evidentiary items prepared; and

(v) state the place at which the evidentiary items will be deposited.

(c) The items of evidentiary value shall be stored in appropriate con- ditions for the prevention of theft and other forms of misappropriation, as well as of accidental deterioration.

(d) Any subsequent movement of the evidentiary items shall require the preparation of a written report describing it, specifying its purpose and stating either that the evidentiary items and wrappings are unbroken and that their number corresponds to that indicated in the report on the seizure, or that evidentiary items have disappeared or deteriorated and the changes that they have undergone.

(2) If the police officer in charge of an investigation requires the report of an expert in order to determine the nature, composition and content of active principles in any dangerous drugs seized, he shall obtain it as soon as possible after the seizure in order to limit the risks of physical or chemical alteration.

(3) (a) Any dangerous drugs and other items of evidentiary value seized shall be kept in a place of safety in police custody until they are produced in Court.

(b) Where the dangerous drugs seized are not the subject matter of any prosecution, they shall be destroyed forthwith.

(c) The police officer in charge of carrying out the destruction shall certify in a written report that the dangerous drugs have been destroyed.

59. Admissibility of certain evidence

Notwithstanding any other enactment, it shall be competent for any po- lice officer who is or has recently been attached for duty to ADSU to give evidence in any Court upon a prosecution for an offence under this Act as to the street value in Mauritius of any dangerous drug and as to the demand for, availability of and other circumstances pertaining to its sale and distribu- tion and the Court may, if it thinks fit, act upon that evidence.

PART IV – MISCELLANEOUS

60. Regulations

(1) The Minister may make such regulations as he thinks fit for the pur- poses of this Act.

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D2 – 35 [Issue 6]

(2) Regulations made under this Act may provide for the—

(a) prescribing of anything which may be or is to be prescribed by this Act;

(b) amendment of the Schedules;

(c) conferment of exemptions from measures of control as provided by section 3 (5);

(d) levying of fees and the issuing of licences.

61. – 63. —



FIRST SCHEDULE [Sections 2, 3, 6, 7, 12 and 30]

PART I Amphetamine Mecloqualone Cannabis (also named as Gandia or Indian Hemp) Methaqualone Dexamtetamine Secobarbital Fenetylline

PART II Acetyl-alpha-methylfentanyl DMT Alphacetylmethadol DOET Alpha-methylfentanyl Ecgonine, its esters and derivatives Beda-hydroxyfentanyl Eticyclidine Beta-hydroxy-3-methylfentanyl Etorphine Brolamfetamine Etryptamine Cannabis Resin Heroin Cathinone Ketobemidone Coca bush Levamfetamine Coca leaf Levomethamphetamine Cocaine (+) – Lysergide Concentrate of Poppy Straw MDMA Desmorphine Mescaline DET Metamfetamine DMA Metamfetmine Racemate DMHP PHP Methcathinone Phencyclidine 4-methylaminorex Phenmetrazine 3-methylfentanyl PMA 3-methylthiofentanyl Psilocine MMDA Psilocybine

Dangerous Drugs Act

[Issue 6] D2 – 36

FIRST SCHEDULE—continued

MPPP Psilotsin

N-ethyl MDA Rolicyclidine

N-hydroxy MDA STP, DOM

Opium Opium Poppy

Synthetic Cannabinoids and their derivatives

Oronabinol TCP

Parafluorofentanyl Tenamfetamine

Parahexyl Tenocyclidine

PCE Thiofentanyl

PCPY TMA

PEPAP Zipeprol [First Sch. amended by GN 188 of 2004; GN 242 of 2013 w.e.f. 10 October 2013.]



SECOND SCHEDULE [Sections 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 22]

Acetyldihydrocodeine Drotebanol Norcodeine

Acetylmethadol Ethylmethilthiambutene Norlevorphanol

Alfentanil Ethylmorphine Normethadone

Allylprodine Etonitazene Normorphine

Alphameprodine Etoxeridine Norpipanone

Alphamethadol Fentanyl Oxycodone

Alpha-methylthiofentanyl Furethidine Oxymorphone

Alphaprodine Hydrocodone Pethidine

Anileridine Hydromorphinol Pethidine-Intermediate A

Benzylmorphine Hydroxypethidine Pethidine-Intermediate B

Betameprodine Levomethorphan Pethidine-Intermediate C

Betaprodine Levophenacylmorphan Phenadoxone

Bezitramide Levorphanol Phenampromide

Buprenorphine Metazocine Phenazocine

Clonitazene Methadone Phenomorphan

Codeine Methadone-Intermediate Phenoperidine

Codoxime Methyldesorphine Pholcodine

Dextromoramide Methyldihydromorphine Piminodine

Dextropropoxyphene Methylphenidate Piritramide

Diampromide Metopon Proheptazine



Revised Laws of Mauritius

D2 – 37 [Issue 1]

SECOND SCHEDULE—continued

Diethylthiambutene Moramide-Intermediate Properidine Difenoxin Morpheridine Propiram Dihydrocodeine Morphine Racemethorphan Dihydromorphine Morphine Methabromide Racemoramide Dimenoxadol Morphine-N-Oxide Racemorphan Dimephepatanol Myrophine Sufentanil Dimethylthiambutene Nicodene Thebacon Dioxaphevylbutyrate Nicodicodine Thebaine Diphenoxylate Nicomorphine Tilidine Dipipanone Noracymethadol Trimeperidine

[Second Sch. amended by GN 188 of 2004.]



THIRD SCHEDULE [Sections 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 18, 22]

Allobarbital Ethchlorvynol Nimetazepam Alprazolam Ethinamate Nitrazepam Amfepramone Ethyl Loflazepate Nordazepam Aminorex Etilamfetamine Oxazepam Amobarbital Fencamfarmin Oxazolam Barbital Fenproporex Pemoline Benzfetamine Fludiazepam Pentazocine Bromazepam Flunitrazepam Pentobarbital Brotizolam Flurazepam Phendimetrazine Butalbital Glutethimide Phenobarbital Butobarbital Haloxazolam Phentermine Camazepam Ketazolam Pinazepam Cathine Lefetamine Prazepam Chlordiazepoxide Loprazolam Pyrovalerone Clobazam Lorazepam Secbutabarbital Clobenzofex Lormetazepam Temazepam Clonazepam Mazindol Tetrazepam Clorazepate Medazepam Tramadol Clotiazepam Mefenorex Triazolam Cloxazolam Meprobamate Vinylbital Cyclobarbital Mesocarb Zolpidem Delorazepam Methylphenobarbital Zopiclone Diazepam Methyprylon Estazolam Midazolam



Dangerous Drugs Act

[Issue 1] D2 – 38

FOURTH SCHEDULE [Sections 2, 3, 12, 27]

Acetic anhydride Methyl Ethyl Ketone Acetone N-Acetylanthranilic acid Anthranilic acid Phenylacetic acid Ephedrine Piperidine Ergometrine Piperonal Ergotamine Potassium permanganate Ethyl Ether Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloric acid Safrole Isosafrole Sulfuric acid 1 phenil-2-propanone Toluene Lysergic acid 3,4 Methylendioxy-phenyl-2 Propanone



FIFTH SCHEDULE [Sections 2, 3]

1. Preparations of: Acetyldihydrocodeine; Codeine; Dihydrocodeine; Ethyhnorphine; Nicodicodine; Norcodeine; and Pholcodine, when compounded with one or more other ingredients and containing not more than 100 milligrams of the drug per dosage unit and with a concentration of not more than 2.5 per cent in undivided preparations.

2. Preparations of propiram containing not more than 100 milligrams of propiram per dosage unit and compounded with at least the same amount of methyl- cellulose.

3 Preparations of cocaine containing not more than 0.1 per cent of cocaine cal- culated as cocaine base and preparations of opium or morphine containing not more than 0.2 per cent of morphine calculated as anhydrous morphine base and compounded with one or more other ingredients and in such a way that the drug cannot be recovered by readily applicable means or in a yield which would con- stitute a risk to public health.

4. Preparations of difenoxin containing, per dosage unit, not more than 0.5 mil- ligram of difenoxin and a quantity of atropine sulphate equivalent to at least 5 per cent of the dose of difenoxin.

Revised Laws of Mauritius

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5. Preparations of diphenoxylate containing, per dosage unit, not more than 2.5 milligrams of diphenoxylate calculated as base and a quantity of atropine sulphate equivalent to at least one per cent of the dose of diphenoxylate.

6. Pulvis ipecacuanhae et opii compositus 10 per cent opium in powder; 10 per cent ipecacuanha root, in powder well mixed with 80 per cent of

any other powdered ingredient containing no drug.

7. Preparations conforming to any of the formulae listed in this Schedule and mixtures of such preparations with any material which contains no drug.

8. Preparations of dextropropoxyphene for oral use containing not more than 135 milligrams of dextropropoxyphene base per dosage unit or with a concentra- tion of not more than 2.5 per cent in undivided preparations, provided that such preparations do not contain any substance controlled under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.



SIXTH SCHEDULE [Section 31]

CUSTODY RECORD

1. Custody Record entries shall be made in the Custody Record in respect of all matters relevant to the detention of the arrested person. In particular, the entries shall be made in respect of the following— (a) an accurate record of the time and place of— (i) the arrest; (ii) the issue of the direction under section 31; and (iii) each interview, including any interview immediately following

his arrest, of the person detained; (b) the place or places where the interview takes place; (c) the time at which the interview begins and the time at which it ends; (d) any break during the interview; (e) the names of persons present at the interviews; (f) the time and reason for any transfer of the detained person from one

place of custody to another as well as the time at which the deten- tion ends;

(g) any property secured from the person on his arrest or during his detention;

(h) the name and rank of the police officer upon whose authority any action in relation to the detained person is taken; and

(i) the ground or grounds, set out in section 31 (2), on which the deten- tion is based.

2. The Custody Record shall be opened as soon as practicable after the start of a person’s detention under section 31.

Dangerous Drugs Act

[Issue 1] D2 – 40

3. The person making an entry in the Custody Record shall insert the time at which the entry is made and his signature against the entry made.

4. The Custody Record or copy of the Record shall accompany a detained per- son to any other place where he is transferred.

5. A copy of the Custody Record shall be supplied to the person detained or his legal representative as soon as is practicable after he or the representative makes a request upon his release from detention or his being taken to Court.

6. The person detained shall be allowed to check and made to insert his signa- ture in respect of any entry in the Custody Record.

7. Any entry shall be made in respect of any refusal of the person detained to insert his signature where such signature is required.

8. Entries in the Custody Record shall be made as soon as practicable after the occurrence of the events to which they relate.

9. A police officer not below the rank of Inspector shall be responsible for ensur- ing the accuracy and completeness of the Custody Record and that the Custody Record or a copy of the Record accompanies the detained person on his transfer.

10. Entries in a computerised Custody Record shall be timed and contain evi- dence of the computer operator’s identity.



SEVENTH SCHEDULE [Section 31 (5)]

VIDEO RECORDING

1. The video recording of the detained person during his period of detention un- der section 31 shall be carried out in such manner as to constitute an accurate, continuous and uninterrupted record of the whole period of his detention, includ- ing his movements, interviews and statements.

2. When issuing the direction for detention under section 31, the police officer shall make arrangements for the video recording of the person detained during the whole of the period of his detention.

3. The police officer shall, for the purposes of the video recording, designate a recording officer under whose responsibility and control the video recording shall be conducted.

4. The recording officer shall be responsible to start, without delay and immedi- ately after a direction is issued under section 31, and continue the video re- cording without any interruption during the whole of the period of detention.

5. The recording officer shall, in respect of the video recording, keep a written record of the following— (a) the name of the person detained; (b) the name and rank of the recording officer; (c) the name of the police officer who issued the direction under sec-

tion 31; (d) the names of all the persons involved in the video recording; (e) the identification numbers of the video records used for video

recording;

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(f) the date, time of commencement, duration and place of— (i) the detention; and (ii) the recording; (g) the place at which the video records are kept; (h) particulars for the movement of the video records.

6. Where the person detained raises any objection during his period of detention or makes any statement, the whole of his objection or statement shall be recorded.

7. (a) The video record, referred to herein as the master video record, shall be sealed, with a label specifying that the record is a master video record, in the presence of the detained person at the end of his period of detention.

(b) The recording officer shall sign the label and ask the detained person and any third party present to sign the label.

(c) Where the detained person or the third party refuses to sign the label, another person may be asked to sign it.

8. (a) Where more than one video record is used, the recording officer shall en- sure that all the video records are properly identified and labelled.

(b) This shall be done by marking the video records with an identification number immediately after they are removed from the recorder.

9. The recording officer shall make arrangements for the video records to be kept securely under lock and key under the responsibility of an officer designated for that purpose.