Legislation allowing the province to suspend the driver’s licence of those who drove a vehicle as a part of a drug-trafficking offence is now in effect, Attorney General Andrew Swan announced.
“Vehicles are widely used in all kinds of drug-trafficking offences and this legislation lets Manitoba take appropriate provincial measures to address it when driving privileges are abused for this activity,” said Swan. “The police have told us this may be especially helpful with dial-a-dealer operations in which offenders sometimes rent cars to try to avoid vehicle forfeiture provisions. No licence means no rental.”
Under the new provision of the Highway Traffic Act, those convicted of a drug-trafficking offence involving driving will have their driver’s licence suspended for one year for a first conviction, five years for a second conviction, 10 years for a third conviction and for life on a fourth or subsequent conviction.
Not all of the previous convictions would need to be for drug trafficking, Swan said. Certain other offences such as impaired driving or driving while disqualified will count in determining who is a repeat violator.
Police checking the licence plate of a vehicle can tell if the registered owner is a suspended driver, providing a means to identify convicted drug traffickers who may be driving their own vehicles to commit a further drug-trafficking offence.
Manitoba is the first province to enact legislation allowing for driver’s licence suspensions as a consequence following a drug-trafficking conviction where a vehicle was driven while committing the offence, Swan said.
