Laos makes drugs trafficking capital offence

Reports from Laos say the government is about to introduce the death penalty for major drugs trafficking to bring it into line with other countries in the region.

The state assembly on Tuesday approved an amendment to the penal code which removes the present ceiling of ten years' imprisonment for drugs offences.

In future, possession of or trafficking in more than five hundred grams of heroin, three kilograms of amphetamine or ten kilos of precursor chemicals which are used in the production of some drugs will be punishable by death.

Anyone found with more than ten kilos of marijuana or five kilos of opium risks a life sentence. Correspondents say that capital punishment in Laos already applies for offences like murder, but the sentence is rarely carried out.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service