Drug Crimes- Registering as a Drug Offender

Drug Crimes- Registering as a Drug Offender

Introduction

Part 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 (pdf) came into force in October 2006 introducing new obligations on those who have been convicted of drug trafficking offences in Ireland to notify Gardaí of certain information about themselves. This provision is based on the same principle as the Sex Offenders Register and enables the movements of convicted drug dealers to be recorded in a similar fashion. Furthermore, the Register assists the Gardaí in monitoring illegal activity and provides useful intelligence on convicted offenders.

This document sets out the implications of this change in the law and the duties of offenders to notify the Gardaí. Information on penalties for those who fail to comply is also provided.

Rules

How soon after conviction must I notify Gardaí?

If you are convicted of a drug trafficking offence you are required to notify the Gardaí of certain information about yourself within 7 days. When you receive a term of imprisonment following a drug conviction, your duty to notify the Gardaí doesn't begin until after you are released from prison. You then have 7 days from the date of release to notify the Gardaí. The Governor of the prison is obliged to notify the Gardaí at least 10 days before your release that you are going to be released.



What information am I required to give the Gardaí?

When an order is made by a court requiring you to notify Gardaí you are obliged to supply the following information in order to comply with the requirements:

Your name and if you use another name(s), each of those names

Your home address

If you change your name from the one previously given to the Gardaí then you must provide that new name within 7 days of any such change of name

Any change of your home address

If you intend to leave the state for a continuous period of 7 days or more then you must notify the Gardaí of your intention and of where they intend to stay while outside the state

Your date of birth

How long do the requirements to notify the Gardaí last for?

It depends on the length of sentence you receive from the court. The longer the sentence, the longer the requirements last. The following is a guide to the length of time the requirements last: 

12 years: if you were imprisoned for life (life ...