Amsterdam warns young British men looking for ‘messy night’s to stay away

Mar 29 2023

The city of Amsterdam has just launched a new campaign targeting young British men, and Dutch men of a similar age, who want a messy weekend so that they ‘stay away.’

Research has suggested that 18 to 35 year old Dutch and British men tend to cause most nuisance in the red light district through ‘stag parties, pub crawls and all-night drink and drug benders.’

This is making life unbearable for residents, leading to the campaign being launched this week.

It will be triggered when people in Britain enter terms into search engines such as ‘stage party Amsterdam’ or ‘pub crawl Amsterdam’ or even ‘cheap hotel Amsterdam.’

Warning video adverts which list risks and consequences of excessive alcohol and drug intake, which include a tainted criminal record as well as hospitalisation, health damage and fines.

Deputy mayor for economic affairs and the inner city Sofyan Mbarki said that the city was doing more than other European countries to reject irresponsible growth.

“Visitors are still welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. As a city, we are saying: we’d rather not have this, so stay away,” he said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, a ‘How To Amsterdam’ drive will also include posters, screens in hotel lobbies and hosts approaching people to remind them of manners. Apart from this, an earlier closing for brothels and bars will kick off this weekend as well as a ban on cannabis smoking in public in central Amsterdam from May.

#MaltaDaily

Two men hospitalised after runaway van crashes into scaffolding

Mar 29 2023

A refrigeration van crashed into scaffolding earlier today at around 0920hrs without a driver in Old Theatre Street in Valletta.

Police communication confirmed to this platform that two men were hospitalised due to the runaway truck. One was a 75-year-old pedestrian resident of Valletta and another a 78-year-old pedestrian resident of Floriana.

Their condition is currently unknown as police are still investigating.

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Zero tolerance random drug tests for vehicle drivers proposed

Mar 29 2023

Among the actions being undertaken and as revealed in the National Drug Policy, the introduction of a new law on random drug testing for all drivers of all vehicles with a zero tolerance approach for all illicit drugs was proposed.

This comes with further revelations on drug abuse in the Maltese islands, with the aim of the new drug policy being to reduce the use of drugs and their resultant harms by all.

The policy aims to especially reduce them amongst those most at risk such as youth women, older adults, prisoners and children who face greater stigma as a result of their drug use.

The policy also wants to ensure law enforcement authorities are provided with access to information to enable them to carry out effective financial investigations.

Here are some other proposed actions:

Make more effective the use of information provided by the Asset Recovery Offices to trace and track profits associated with drug trafficking.
Increase active co-operation between the tax, customs, and law enforcement to better detect trade-based money laundering activities to stop profits from drug trafficking furthering such or entering the legal economy.
Drug use and drug possession for personal use is illegal and will continue to be so but not punishable as a criminal offence under any form. Hence, the intention of The Drug Dependence ‘Treatment Not Imprisonment’ Act 2015 was that personal use and hence possession of small quantities of all drugs for personal use are not a criminal offence.

In order to reduce supply, the following proposals, among others, were made:

Better community policing from the police depots situated in all districts to prevent drug use and drug related crime together with the support of the community teams from the National Drug Agency.
Enhance the activities of the Police Drug Unit in the aspect of trafficking as their main objective in reducing the supply of illegal drugs.
Ensure that the postal services are better equipped to monitor and intervene when suspect packages are relayed via this service which is becoming more popular with Internet use and purchases.

Read full report here.

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70% of around 850 prison inmates sentenced for drug related offences

Mar 29 2023

According to the newly released National Drug Policy, research shows that of 850 inmates hosted by the Correctional Service Agency, 40% were held for drug related offences and 70% sentenced by the courts for drug related offences.

The CSA is responsible for the operations of the only prison in Malta. With 40% held for drug related offences, 30% of these were held under arrest pending trial.

Recidivism (reoffending) when it comes to rehabilitation seemed to be around 75% for all, but that related to drug use, heroin use, such individuals were more likely to re-offend.

‘Between September 2015 and December 2020, sittings by the tribunal chaired by the Commissioner of Justice, the majority of cases processed were related to possession of cannabis grass, with 1277 cases (42%). This was followed by cannabis resin, with a total of 620 cases (20%).’

‘A total of 1897 cases (62%) were, therefore, related to cannabis possession. Cocaine possession accounted for 616 cases (20%). A further 236 cases (8%) were for possession of ecstasy, while cases related to heroin possession amounted to 174 (6%).’

‘It also worthy of note that some 228 individuals were between the ages of 14 and 17 with the majority of these aged 16 and 17.’

The policy revealed that the problems that arise in this regard are addressed at the newly opened centre at Tal-Ibwar, which provides residential and day services.

Read the full report here.

#MaltaDaily