The net is closing on Nauru’s cannabis growers and dealers, with new regulations written into law that incorporate both the actual testing equipment used, as well as evidential rules to help close any gaps.
Nauru Police Force Officers attended a two-hour training workshop yesterday to learn more about the Illicit Drugs Control (Drug Testing Kit) Regulations 2021 (repealing the 2016 Regulations) and their roles and responsibilities under the new regulations.
Significant additions include a comprehensive report to be completed by the drug seizing Officer, as well as an Illicit Drugs Test Certificate to be completed by a qualified and authorised testing Officer.
This follows the Gazetted order late last month by Police Commissioner Iven Notte for the S-KN reagent narcotics identification kit (Narcotics Identification System) to be used for the purposes of the Illicit Drugs Control (Drug Testing Kit) Regulations 2021, along with the appointment of 13 Nauru Police Force authorised drug testing Officers to administer the NIK test.
An amendment in September 2021 to the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2004 now affords an Officer 72 hours (was 24 hours) in which to prepare her or his drug seizure report.
Government Lawyer with the Legislative Drafting Team Mele Tagivakatini was joined by DPP Government Lawyers Saif Shah and Francis Puleiwai, Pleader Marilyn Deireragea and Police Liaison Peter Leupepe to discuss and deliver regulations training now in force.
It is hoped that with the new regulations, chain of custody is covered across the whole process and an increase in the rate of convictions results.
Photo Nauru Police Force Caption: Officers attend the training about the Illicit Drugs Control (Drug Testing Kit) Regulations 2021