Sending, etc., controlled drugs and dangerous goods by post

(1) Where the Postmaster General has reasonable grounds to suspect that any postal packet, parcel or other postal matter contains any controlled drug or any dangerous goods, it shall be lawful for him, by letter sent to the person mentioned therein as the sender or addressee at the address given therein, to notify his intention to open such postal packet, parcel or other postal matter and in the presence of the sender, or where no such person appears before him within a period of fourteen days, in the absence of any such person and in the presence of a police officer of or above the rank of sergeant or a justice of the peace, to open such postal packet, parcel or other postal matter, for the purposes of satisfying himself of the contents thereof, Provided that where any such postal packet, parcel or other postal matter does not contain any controlled drugs or dangerous goods, that postal packet, parcel or other postal matter shall be securely fastened and forwarded to its destination with the words “opened by Postmaster General of Belize” marked on it. (2) Every person who knowingly posts, sends or delivers, in order to be sent by post, any postal packet, parcel or other postal matter which contains any controlled drug or dangerous goods commits an offence and be liable on conviction therefor, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Act, (a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to ten years, and in addition, shall be ordered to pay a fine which shall not be less than ten thousand dollars but which may extend to one hundred thousand dollars or three times the street value of the controlled drug or dangerous goods (where there is evidence of such value), whichever is the greater; or (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to fourteen years and, in addition, shall be ordered to pay a fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand dollars but which may extend to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or three times the street value of the controlled drug or dangerous goods (where there is evidence of such value), whichever is the greater. 26 (3) Any person who is proved to be the sender or deliverer of any postal packet, parcel or other postal matter containing any controlled drug or dangerous goods shall be presumed knowingly to have posted, sent or delivered in order to be sent by post such postal packet, parcel or other postal matter. (4) Any controlled drug or dangerous goods found in the search shall, in addition to any punishment that may be imposed on the offender, be liable to be forfeited. (5) For the purpose of this section, (a) the expression “controlled drug” means any substance or product for the time being specified in Part I, II or III of the Second Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 103; (b) the expression “dangerous goods” means any goods deemed to be specially dangerous within the meaning of the Dangerous Goods Act, Cap. 134.