UZBEK OFFICIAL: CENTRAL ASIAN DRUG TRAFFICKING INCREASING

TASHKENT. In one of his works Uzbek President Islam Karimov listed
regional conflicts among security threats. Regional conflicts very
often present such problems as terrorism, violence, arms and drugs
smuggling. International Anti-Drugs Day will be marked this week.

[Sergey Kopenkin, deputy head of the Interior Ministry's department
for fighting drug trafficking and the illegal circulation of drugs]
Unfortunately, the predictions that we made a few years ago are
coming true. I mean the inflow of hard drugs, mainly of heroin, opium
and hashish, from Afghanistan is increasing. There is, literally, a
wave coming from Afghanistan and it goes through Central Asian
republics. We can cite the following as proof: The heroin seized in
the "Poppy" operation this year accounts for more than half all the
drugs seized in that operation. This is the first such situation in
the last few years.

[Correspondent] Does this suggest that our region is becoming the
world's main transit territory for hard drugs?

[Kopenkin] I would not say the main one, but one of the main ones,
since Uzbekistan and its partner countries, including international
organizations, the UN and their agencies, have information that of
the six known drugs trafficking channels, four are in the Central
Asian region.

[Correspondent] There is information, I do not know to what extent it
is true, that part of the drug crops in Afghanistan has been
destroyed. To what extent is this close to the truth?

[Kopenkin] As an expert, I will answer your question on the basis of
incoming data, the data that has been made available to us. This
information contains the truth, though I would not say it is 100 per
cent true. The Taleban group must recognize the international
community and take measures against the production of illegal drugs.
They are obliged to do so. Therefore, they have destroyed part of
such crops and some of drug production facilities there. But,
unfortunately, practical results show that drug trafficking is
increasing, not decreasing. Apparently, an increase in the production
of hard drugs such as opium and heroin over the past few years
enabled them to take some measures in this regard.

[Correspondent] A total of 1.07 kg of heroin was seized from a
certain Dilshod Akhunov [phonetic] in [the Uzbek capital] Tashkent's
Khamza District in early June. In May, a certain Otabek Mignarov
[phonetic] was found in possession of 580 g of marijuana. These young
men who have been arrested have not even reached the age of 30 and
are unemployed. Women and unemployed people are increasingly often
getting involved in drug trafficking.