Durgs trafficking at the sea in Pakistan: a comparative legal analysis with China, Iran and Srilanka

Abstract

One of the organized crimes at sea is the illegal trafficking of drugs by vessels. Organized crime has a negative financial impact on the global economy, costing billions of euros, but they are also a threat to human security. When criminal organizations get wealthy from the earnings of maritime crime, the proceeds of maritime crime fuel an increase in violence, terrorism, and insecurity in a variety of coastal states. Maritime drug trafficking is a threat that is killing the human race and impeding Pakistan's economic progress. Drugs destroy lives of people. They have now become a burden for their families and society as well. Many causes contribute to Pakistan's escalating drug trafficking tendencies, including rising corruption, the failure of law enforcement institutions, illiteracy, and poverty. Drug trafficking is a non-traditional threat to the national security of Pakistan. China has always adhered to the policy of strictly punishing drugs traffickers. There is zero tolerance for drug traffickers in China. In Pakistan, the punishments given to the drug offenders under Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 regime are not strict and robust as given under the China and Iran Anti-drug laws. In China and Iran, the overall percentage of drugs trafficking has declined because of their strict domestic laws against drugs trafficking. In China the possession of 50 grams of Heroin is punishable by death. Criminals who are involved in drugs trafficking are sentenced to death. China’s anti-drug law enforcement organs enforce the laws strictly. China has sentenced many foreign nationals to death on drugs charge. In Pakistan there are four federal government ministries and as many on the levels of provincial governments which are responsible only for drugs interdiction and seizures. Ironically, there is no forum for all these divisions and departments to coordinate, discuss and develop a coordinated response for reducing drugs trafficking. India continuously blames Pakistan for drugs trafficking by sea in the Indian Ocean. In 2020, the Sri Lanka Navy arrested nine Pakistani nationals and alleges them of smuggling contraband worth several million and using it as a transit point for smuggling the drugs to there final destination- European and U.S. markets. India alleges Pakistan that opium grown in Afghanistan is turned into chemical drugs by cartels based in Karachi and Baluchistan province of Pakistan which are then dispatched to Pakistani and Iranian coasts from where they are smuggled out.