Illicit Drug Trafficking

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Illicit Drug Trafficking in Central Asia
Presentation by Kairat Osmonaliev PhD in
Jurisprudence
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General Information

• All countries of Central Asia have became transit
  countries for Afghan drugs
• Climatic conditions in Central Asian countries
  are, in principle, favorable for the growth of
  opium poppy which are illicitly cultivated on
  small individual plots. Kyrgyzstan, for instance,
  prior to 1974 was one of the worlds largest
  suppliers of licit opium. There are also huge
  stocks of wild growing cannabis

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Wild Growth of Narcotic Crops in Central Asia

• Wild growth of cannabis is mainly concentrated to
  Kazakhstan and the rest in Kyrgyzstan. The area
  of wild growth of cannabis in Kazakhstan covers
  more than 140,000 ha
• There is an extensive growth of ephedra, the main
  precursor to manufacture methamphetamine and
  methcathinone. Some 88,200 ha of ephedra were
  identified in Kazakhstan, 46,400 ha - in
  Kyrgyzstan, and 3,500 ha - in Tajikistan.

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Drug Routes of Afghan Drugs

• There are three main routes for transportation
  of drugs from Afghanistan
• Southern route passes through the territory of
  Pakistan (around 40 of Afghan drugs)
• Western Route goes from Iran to Turkey and then
  to Western Europe (Balkan Route) 35
• Northern Route (or Silk Route) through
  countries of Central Asian region to Russia and
  then to Europe 25 (15 through Turkmenistan).

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Factors Enhancing the Role of the Northern
Route in Afghan Illicit Drug Trafficking

• - New international geopolitical and geo-economic
  situation in the region of Central Asia
• - Weakening of state drug control system in
  Central Asian countries
• Active and hard-edged struggle of Iran against
  drug trafficking (Balkan route is becoming more
  dangerous for drug traffickers)

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Factors Enhancing the Role of the Northern
Route in Afghan Illicit Drug Trafficking (contd)

• Increase of corruption as the main element of
  illicit drug trafficking
• Involvement of Islamic extremists in drug
  trafficking activities
• Integration of organized criminal groups dealing
  with illicit drug trafficking into international
  criminal system in Central Asia
• Huge local stocks of narcotics

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Main Drug Trafficking Routes
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Heroin Routes
to Europe
from Afghanistan
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Kyrgyzstan Routes and Opiates Prices
5,000
10,000
5,800
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Drug Seizures in Central Asia
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Proportion of Seized Drugs in Tajikistan(1996-20
03)
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Seizures of Opiates in Central Asia
Seized Heroin and Opium
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Legal Framework and Mechanisms of Cooperation in
Central Asia

• All countries of the region signed Memorandum on
  mutual understanding and cooperation in the
  sphere of drug control in 1996
• Corresponding Agreement on cooperation in the
  sphere of drug counteraction is in effect among
  Central Asia countries since 1999
• International State Commission on Drug Control in
  Central Asia Community was established in 1999

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Cooperation of Law Enforcement Agencies of
Central Asia in Suppression of Illicit Drug
Trafficking

• Interaction between law-enforcement agencies of
  CA countries is improving (transborder
  cooperation mechanisms are being developed,
  controlled deliveries are being conducted, joint
  special operations on drug trafficking
  interception are being fulfilled)
• Low level of the existing interaction
  (non-operational system of drug liaison officers,
  inactive and formal exchange of information)

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Role of the International Organizations in the
Counteraction to Drug Trafficking in Central
Asia

• Establishment of the Security Belt around
  Afghanistan by efforts of the United Nations
  Office on Drugs and Crime (establishment of the
  Drug Control Agency in Tajikistan in 1999, the
  Drug Control Agency in Kyrgyzstan in 2003),
  Implementations of Regional UN ODC Projects on
  strengthening control of drugs and precursors
  circulation
• Implementation of projects funded by EU
  Commission (CADAP, NADIN)

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Conclusions

• Illicit drug trafficking is one of the main
  threats to stability, democracy, security and
  development of newly established countries of
  Central Asia that have limited resources to fight
  drug trade
• Strengthening democratic state power in
  Afghanistan should help solve problem of
  eliminating illicit drug cultivation
• International cooperation is an important
  condition for successful suppression of drug
  trafficking in Central Asia, including involving
  Turkmenistan in active anti-drug cooperation