Drug Trafficking Act 1994
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
Drug Trafficking Act 1994
1994 CHAPTER 37
An Act to consolidate the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 and certain provisions of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 relating to drug trafficking.
[3rd November 1994]
B e it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Part I
Confiscation orders
Introductory
1 Meaning of ‘drug trafficking’ and ‘drug trafficking offence’.
(1) In this Act ‘drug trafficking’ means, subject to subsection (2) below, doing or being concerned in any of the following, whether in England and Wales or elsewhere—
(a) producing or supplying a controlled drug where the production or supply contravenes section 4(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or a corresponding law;
(b) transporting or storing a controlled drug where possession of the drug contravenes section 5(1) of that Act or a corresponding law;
(c) importing or exporting a controlled drug where the importation or exportation is prohibited by section 3(1) of that Act or a corresponding law;
(d) manufacturing or supplying a scheduled substance within the meaning of section 12 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 where the manufacture or supply is an offence under that section or would be such an offence if it took place in England and Wales;
(e) using any ship for illicit traffic in controlled drugs in circumstances which amount to the commission of an offence under section 19 of that Act;
(f) conduct which is an offence under section 49 of this Act or which would be such an offence if it took place in England and Wales;
(g) acquiring, having possession of or using property in circumstances which amount to the commission of an offence under section 51 of this Act or which would amount to such an offence if it took place in England and Wales.
(2) ‘Drug trafficking’ also includes a person doing the following, whether in England and Wales or elsewhere, that is to say, entering into or being otherwise concerned in an arrangement whereby—
(a) the retention or control by or on behalf of another person of the other person's proceeds of drug trafficking is facilitated; or
(b) the proceeds of drug trafficking by another person are used to secure that funds are placed at the other person's disposal or are used for the other person's benefit to acquire property by way of investment.
(3) In this Act ‘drug trafficking offence’ means any of the following—
(a) an offence under section 4(2) or (3) or 5(3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (production, supply and possession for supply of controlled drugs);
(b) an offence under section 20 of that Act (assisting in or inducing commission outside United Kingdom of offence punishable under a corresponding law);
(c) an offence under—
(ii) section 68(2) of that Act (exportation), or
(iii) section 170 of that Act (fraudulent evasion),
in connection with a prohibition or restriction on importation or exportation having effect by virtue of section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971;
(d) an offence under section 12 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 (manufacture or supply of substance specified in Schedule 2 to that Act);
(e) an offence under section 19 of that Act (using ship for illicit traffic in controlled drugs);
(f) an offence under section 49, 50 or 51 of this Act or section 14 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 (which makes, in relation to Scotland and Northern Ireland, provision corresponding to section 49 of this Act);
(g) an offence under section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 of conspiracy to commit any of the offences in paragraphs (a) to (f) above;
(h) an offence under section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 of attempting to commit any of those offences; and
(i) an offence of inciting another person to commit any of those offences, whether under section 19 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or at common law;
and includes aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of any of the offences in paragraphs (a) to (f) above.
(4) In this section ‘corresponding law’ has the same meaning as in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 .
(5) For the purposes of the application of Part II of this Act in Scotland and Northern Ireland, ‘drug trafficking’ shall be construed in accordance with section 48(2) of this Act.
Confiscation orders
2 Confiscation orders.
(1) Subject to subsection (7) below, where a defendant appears before the Crown Court to be sentenced in respect of one or more drug trafficking offences (and has not previously been sentenced or otherwise dealt with in respect of his conviction for the offence or, as the case may be, any of the offences concerned), then—
(a) if the prosecutor asks the court to proceed under this section, or
(b) if the court considers that, even though the prosecutor has not asked it to do so, it is appropriate for it to proceed under this section,
it shall act as follows.
(2) The court shall first determine whether the defendant has benefited from drug trafficking.
(3) For the purposes of this Act, a person has benefited from drug trafficking if he has at any time (whether before or after the commencement of this Act) received any payment or other reward in connection with drug trafficking carried on by him or another person.
(4) If the court determines that the defendant has so benefited the court shall, before sentencing or otherwise dealing with him in respect of the offence or, as the case may be, any of the offences concerned, determine in accordance with section 5 of this Act the amount to be recovered in his case by virtue of this section.
(5) The court shall then, in respect of the offence or offences concerned—
(a) order the defendant to pay that amount;
(b) take account of the order before—
(i) imposing any fine on him;
(ii) making any order involving any payment by him; or
(c) subject to paragraph (b) above, leave the order out of account in determining the appropriate sentence or other manner of dealing with him.
(6) No enactment restricting the power of a court dealing with an offender in a particular way from dealing with him also in any other way shall by reason only of the making of an order under this section restrict the Crown Court from dealing with an offender in any way the court considers appropriate in respect of a drug trafficking offence.
(7) Subsection (1) above does not apply in relation to any offence for which a defendant appears before the Crown Court to be sentenced if—
(a) he has been committed to the Crown Court for sentence in respect of that offence under section 37(1) of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (committal to Crown Court with a view to sentence of detention in a young offender institution); or
(b) the powers of the court (apart from this section) to deal with him in respect of that offence are limited to dealing with him in any way in which a magistrates' court might have dealt with him in respect of the offence.
(8) The standard of proof required to determine any question arising under this Act as to—
(a) whether a person has benefited from drug trafficking, or
(b) the amount to be recovered in his case by virtue of this section,
shall be that applicable in civil proceedings.
(9) In this Act ‘confiscation order’ means an order under this section and includes, in particular, such an order made by virtue of section 13, 14 or 19 of this Act.
3 Postponed determinations.
(1) Where the Crown Court is acting under section 2 of this Act but considers that it requires further information before—
(a) determining whether the defendant has benefited from drug trafficking, or
(b) determining the amount to be recovered in his case by virtue of that section,
it may, for the purpose of enabling that information to be obtained, postpone making the determination for such period as it may specify.
(2) More than one postponement may be made under subsection (1) above in relation to the same case.
(3) Unless it is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances, the court shall not specify a period under subsection (1) above which—
(a) by itself, or
(b) where there have been one or more previous postponements under subsection (1) above or (4) below, when taken together with the earlier specified period or periods,
exceeds six months beginning with the date of conviction.
(4) Where the defendant appeals against his conviction, the court may, on that account—
(a) postpone making either or both of the determinations mentioned in subsection (1) above for such period as it may specify; or
(b) where it has already exercised its powers under this section to postpone, extend the specified period.
(5) A postponement or extension under subsection (1) or (4) above may be made—
(a) on...
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