Muscat: Oman may for the first time introduce the death penalty against drug traffickers, amid efforts to curb a growing drug problem that affects mostly the youth.

The Combating Narcotics and Psychotropic Drug Law will may be amended soon after the final approval of Oman’s Sultan Qaboos Bin Said.

The amendments were recommended by the elected Consultative Council, the Majlis Al Shura, are were forwarded to the appointed State Council for approval. Senior sources in the State Council said that the appointed council had reservations about some of the amendments but added that they were mostly resolved.

After approval from the State Council, the amended law will be forwarded to the Council of Ministers, the cabinet, for approval, and then to Sultan Qaboos for signing.

Ten articles of the total of 72 in the narcotics law have been amended aims to severely crack down drug peddlers.

The article 43 of the amended law stipulates death penalty or life sentence for drug dealers and a fine of more than OMR 25,000. It also stipulates the death penalty for anyone who has connection with international drug trafficking gangs.

Article 56 stipulates taht anyone who assaults drug enforcement staff will be jailed for a minimum of ten years and will be fined no less than OMR 3,000. It also stipulates the life sentence in case of the assault resulted in permanent disability. The death penalty will be given in case the assault results in death.

If a suspect refuses to provide the necessary samples for the detection of the narcotics, he or she will be jailed six month at least and a face fine of OMR 100.

The first Omani Narcotic Law issued by a royal decree number 17/99.

Observers believe that introducing such punishment will lead to a significant drop in the drug cases in Oman.

Ahmad Al Hinai, a social worker, told Gulf News that introducing that will be a deterrent for drug dealers who will think twice before committing such crime.

Regarding the drug cases among Omani youth, Al Hinai said that there is an increase in the number of young, female Omani drug addicts, compared to the past five years. 

In total, there are 4.150 cases registered until the end of 2013 and 3.950 persons involved in 2,523 cases, according to the Central Register. A source in ROP told Gulf News that the number of drug cases has been rising by more than ten per cent every year. The source added that applying the death penalty will definitely reduce drug cases in Oman.

More rehab centers will be built nationwide as the number of the drug addicts rises. The Omani government spends millions of rials to treat those addicts. 

An official at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), told Gulf News that Oman’s geography, with its long coastline and proximity to the drug exporting countries, poses a major challenge in combatting drug trafficking. ROP along with other security units has intensifies its efforts to combat drug peddling, said the official. he added that most of the drug traffickers who were arrested in Oman are expatriates. According to ROP figures, heroin is the number one drug seized by ROP.

Death penalties were halted in Oman since 2004.