UZBEK OFFICIAL SAYS INFLOW OF HARD DRUGS FROM AFGHANISTAN IS INCREASING

TASHKENT. The inflow of hard drugs, mainly of heroin, opium and hashish,
from Afghanistan is increasing, deputy head of the Uzbek Interior
Ministry's department for fighting drug trafficking and the illegal
circulation of drugs, Sergey Kopenkin told in his interview with Uzbek
Television. At that, the Central Asian region is becoming one of the
world's main transit territories for hard drugs, he noted, adding that of
the six known drugs trafficking channels, four are in the Central Asian
region. In response to the question concerning extirpation of part of drug
crops in Afghanistan, Sergey Kopenkin said this information is partly true.
He considers in attempt to be recognised by the international community,
the Taliban has taken a number of measures against the production of
illegal drugs, in particular, they have destroyed part of such crops and
some of drug production facilities. At the same time, Sergey Kopenkin noted
that practical results show that drug trafficking is increasing, not
decreasing. The expert supposed an increase in the production of hard drugs
such as opium and heroin over the past few years enabled the Taliban to
take appropriate measures in this regard.