Medical Workers' Liability for Crimes in the Field of Trafficking of Narcotic Products Under Article 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine

Abstract

The article considers the peculiarities of criminal liability of employees of health care institutions for violation of the provisions of Art. 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which consists of two parts, which differ in the ways (forms) of committing criminal offenses and limits of liability. The methodological basis of the study includes logical-semantic method, by which the types of methods (forms) of committing criminal offenses under Art. 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine are studied; a systematic approach, on the basis of which the author analyses the sequence of actions of employees of investigative bodies in the investigation of crimes on the grounds of criminal activity provided for in the provisions of this article. It is established that Art. 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine consists of two parts and provides for a wide range of criminal offenses, in particular the cultivation of sleeping poppy or hemp; violation of the rules of production, manufacture, storage, accounting, release, distribution, trade, transportation, shipment or use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors intended for the production or manufacture of these drugs or substances; theft, misappropriation, extortion of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors, or their acquisition by fraud or abuse of office by an official, etc. It is shown that the disposition of Art. 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine has a blanket nature, which requires specification of its provisions in other regulations, including orders, instructions, rules. It is emphasized that employees of medical institutions and health care institutions must clearly know the content of the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers № 770 "On approval of the list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors" from 06.06.2000, the order of the Ministry of Health № 188 "On approval of tables of small, large and especially large amounts of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors that are in illicit traffic" from 01.08.2000, which will significantly help them to avoid offenses related to drug trafficking. Special attention should by paid to compliance with the rules of storage, transfer, accounting, release, distribution, trade, transportation, as well as the introduction of drug logs. The article also shows the sequence of actions of employees of investigative bodies during crime investigation on grounds of the criminal activity provided by Art. 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.