Colombian President Alvaro Uribe announced Monday that pending a decision about the penalty for carrying a “personal dose” of an illegal drug, police will now be allowed to seize substances if found on one’s person, reported Caracol.
Colombian Congress, last December, prohibited the carrying and consumption of drugs, which, in small doses, was previously allowed by the constitution.
However, the legal penalty for the possession of drugs is still being decided by the Constitutional Court.
“Given that the Colombian Constitutional has already outlawed the personal dose, whilst the type of legal penalty is discussed, police (in following the Constitution) will be permitted to confiscate all personal doses,” announced the Colombian president.
Director of public security for the national police, General Orlando Paez Baron, said that the sanctions put in place against the personal dose were “very good” and he highlighted the importance of preventing the traffic of drugs in small amounts.
“Every month President Uribe evaluates advancements made all over the country in the fight against micro-traffickers, because it does a lot of damage to Colombians, especially young people,” said the police official.