Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap. 101), article 30E

30E. (1) In virtue of this article and for the purposes of the Ratification of Treaties Act , the Government is authorised to accede to the Agreement on Illicit Traffic by Sea implementing Article 17 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Tra ffic in Narcotic Drugs and Pyschotropi c Substances, done at Strasbou rg on the 31st day of January, 1995, hereinafter in this article r eferred to as ''the European Convention''. (2) The Minister responsible for the Police may make regulations generally for implementing the provisions of the European Convention and may, in particular, by such regulations : (a) extend the jurisdiction of the Maltese courts; 38 CAP. 101.] DANGEROUS DRUGS (b) authorise the boarding, search and arrest of vessels; (c) provide that certain officials, whether Maltese or foreign, shall, for the purpose of any law in Malta, be considered as officers p rotected by those laws; (d) provide for the designation of authorities for the purposes of the Eu ropean Convention; Cap. 31. (e) provide for the application of these regulations and of the provisions of this Ordinance to the drugs to which the provisions of the Medical and Kindred Professions Ordinance apply, in accordance with the said European Convention, all as provided in the said European Convention, and may moreov er provide that any part of the European Convention shall, to the extent provided in such regulatio ns, have the force of law in M alta. Direction for trial by the Court of Magistrates as a court of criminal judicature. Added by: VIII.1986.5 Amended by: VIII. 1990.3; III. 2002.162. *31. Notwithstanding that the Attorney General has directed in accordance with the provisions of article 22(2), that a person be tried in the Criminal Court, he may, at any time before the fil ing of the bill of indictment or at any time after filing the bill of indictment before the jury is empanelled, and with the consent of the accused, direct that that person be tried before the Court of Magistrates, and upon such direction the Court of Magistrates a s a court of criminal judicature shall become competent to try that person as if no previous direction had been given. Where the Attorney General has given such new direction after the filing of the bill of indictment, the registrar of the Criminal Court sha ll cause the record to be transmitted to the Court of Magistrates, and shall cause a copy of the Attorney General’s direction to be se rved on the Commissioner of Police. Offences cognizable by the Court of Magistrates as a court of criminal judicature. Added by: VIII. 1986.5. Amended by: VIII. 1990.3. Cap. 9.