The former director of the Preventive Security Department, retired Brigadier General Zuhdi Janbek, warned of the danger of passing a draft law amending the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, in light of his talk about a sharp rise in drug crimes in the country.

The retired brigadier general said that drug trafficking operations doubled by more than 300% during the years 2016 to 2020, and this is a dangerous indication of the widening and growing drug problem in Jordan.

He added that drug crimes are on the rise, according to the latest statistics of the General Security, which stated that a drug crime is committed every 26 minutes in the Kingdom.

In a letter to the Senate, the second chamber of Parliament, Janbek said: “I am obliged (even if I find no benefit) to address this call to the assembly. I appeal to you by God to stop this farce.”

The House of Representatives approved an amendment to the current drug law, to become: “Anyone who used, brought in, brought in, escaped, imported, exported, taken out, possessed, acquired, bought, received, transported, produced, manufactured, stored or planted any of the Narcotics for the first time are not considered a criminal precedent or a security restriction against a first-time offender with the intent of using them.”

The former Director of Preventive Security said, “These amendments are very dangerous… they tolerate smugglers and make the crime of border breaching and smuggling permissible, for the first time. It makes the crime of drug trafficking and dissemination in Jordan permissible, and it makes the crime of drug production permissible, whether it is through manufacturing or agriculture.”

Arabic 21