DRUG-FUELLED CRIME IN CENTRAL ASIA

Bishkek (TCA). Drugs and crime always come together.This is an axiom.Today
all the Central Asian countries are facing this axiom.

The situation of drug-related crime in Central Asia has increased to a
critical level.From 1991-1993 the number of cases of illegal opium poppy
growing and drug-related crimes rose 300% and 65%, respectively.In 1994
Kazakhstan registered 564 drug-related crimes per every 1 million of the
citizens, in Kyrgyzstan - 553.In 1998 each 14th crime in Kyrgyzstan
involved drugs.

Corruption in the law enforcement agencies has also increased.In all the
Central Asian countries there were cases when seized drugs returned to the
illegal drug market.The meager salaries of customs and police officers
(some US $20-30 per month) force them to take bribes from drug
traffickers.By decree the President of Kyrgyzstan set up the Coordination
Council to investigate cases of corrupt officials.In Tajikistan several
arrested officials charged with corruption were freed after the
interference of some influential circles.Kyrgyzstan's law enforcement
agencies also arrested some high-ranking police officials, including the
director of the drug enforcement agency of Osh and several of his
subordinates.But this is only the top of the iceberg.

Nearly 50% of customs officials in Central Asia cooperate with drug
business.There were charges against the servicemen of Russia's 201st
mechanized infantry division stationed in Tajikistan.In December 1997
twelve servicemen of the division were arrested in a Moscow aerodrome while
trying to carry in more than 8 kg of drugs, including 3 kg of heroin.

Women are getting more involved in the drug business.Since 1996 the
percentage of women's participation in drug trafficking has grown from 3%
to 12.2%.In Tajikistan women make up 35% of all convicts for drug-related
crimes, in Kyrgyzstan - 12.4%.

The number of criminal groups involved in drug trafficking is growing.Over
the first three months of 1999 alone Kyrgyzstan's drug enforcement agency
revealed 35 such groups.Kazakhstan's National Security Committee has
revealed 125 organized drug business groups in Central Asia.

The leaders of the Central Asian countries have realized the seriousness of
this problem and promise to make maximum efforts to resolve it.The
President of Kazakhstan has declared anti-drug programs a national
priority.The Tajik President declared 1999 the year for fighting the drug
business.

The President of Kyrgyzstan is perhaps the most eager fighter against
drugs.In 1997 Kyrgyzstan stepped up with an initiative to set up an
inter-state commission for the control of drugs with the participation of
Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.In March 1999 Kyrgyzstan was
admitted in the UN Drug Control Committee.At an international conference in
Bishkek President Askar Akayev proposed to create drug-free zones in all
Great Silk Road countries in the beginning of the 3rd millennium.All the
Central Asian countries have joined the UN Convention on drugs of
1988.Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan also signed the similar UN
conventions of 1961 and 1971.

However, the shortage of money undermines all the efforts taken by the
Central Asian countries in fighting the drug business.Since 1991 GDP in
Tajikistan fell by 49%, in Kyrgyzstan - 34%, in Kazakhstan - 31%, and in
Uzbekistan - 10%.This resulted in cuts of expenses for anti-drug programs.

At the same time, these countries have strengthened their anti-drug
laws.The new criminal code of Kazakhstan stipulates a serious punishment
for drug trafficking.The Kazakh Government has adopted a plan to fight drug
business.On 16 May 2000 President Nursultan Nazarbayev approved the
Strategy of Fighting Drug Use and Drug Business for 2001-2005.

In Kyrgyzstan the State Committee of Drug Control coordinates actions of 15
ministries and government agencies.In April 1998 Kyrgyzstan, the first
among the Central Asian countries, passed a law on drugs and
drug-containing substances.Anti-drug measures are stipulated in several
national programs, including "Measures to strengthen civil society and
fight crime in the Kyrgyz Republic in 1997-2000."

In 1998 alone Turkmenistan sentenced to death 700 people, 90% of whom were
charged with drug-related crimes.But such tough punishments have not
prevented the spread of drugs and the Turkmen-Afghan border remains one of
the most porous in the region.In 197 Turkmenistan's law enforcement
agencies seized more than 40 tons of drugs.

In June 1998 Uzbekistan's Supreme Court sentenced two Kazakh citizens to
death for carrying 40 kg of heroin.

All the Central Asian countries are destroying plantations of opium poppy
and hemp.In 1998 Kazakhstan cleared 4,465 hectares of such plantations,
Kyrgyzstan - 4,000 hectares, Tajikistan - 65 hectares, and Uzbekistan - 2.9
hectares.

Most local officials do not see any connection between drug trafficking and
illegal weapons trade, corruption, terrorism, and money laundering.In
October 1998 in the railway station in Osh Kyrgyzstan's law enforcement
agencies stopped a train carrying humanitarian aid from Iran to
Afghanistan.In this train the Kyrgyz customs found 700 tons of
weapons.After talks the train was sent back to Iran.The weapons were
intended for the Northern Alliance of Ahmad Shah Masood.However, extremists
of Szhuma Namangani attacked the train and seized the weapons.

Drug money finances many separatist, radical, religious, and terrorist
organizations.Drug barons, aiming to destabilize the situation in Central
Asia, sponsored intrusions of extremists into Kyrgyzstan's Batken and
Uzbekistan's Surkhandarya province in the summer and fall of 1999-2000.In
1997 Tajik authorities seized 8 tons of heroin belonged to Iran's drug
baron, Hadj Gulyam Balosh, who has been financing the warring groups in
Afghanistan.

It was also reported that Osama bin Laden also finances terrorist
operations through funds derived from his opium syndicate in western
Afghanistan.He considers opium a powerful weapon of Jihad.According to the
Indian intelligence, the Terrorist No. 1 controls about 60 heroin labs.

Drug groups are getting stronger, more organized and involved in new
spheres of activity.There is a danger that legalized, "laundered" drug
money will penetrate into political structures of the Central Asian
countries and ruin all efforts to build a democracy in the region.According
to Interpol today international drug business controls governments in 12
countries of the world.

The problem of drug trafficking causes tensions in the relations of the
Central Asian countries and Russia, which is concerned with the growing
drug trafficking into its territory from Central Asia and the
Caucasus.According to Russia's law enforcement agencies, 17.1% of drugs
come to Russia from Uzbekistan, 13.6% from Tajikistan, and 12.7% from
Kazakhstan.Eighty percent of heroin seized in Russia was delivered from
Central Asia.Russia even proposes to restrict the entry of the citizens of
the Central Asian countries to its territory.Thus, the problem of drugs
causes ethnic tensions, making natives of Central Asia and the Caucasus the
main target of the Russian police.

The fight against drugs must be conducted not only by the law enforcement
agencies also by other government agencies.It is necessary to direct more
funds for educational actions among the youth to prevent them using
drugs.Today drugs pose a serious threat to national security in all the
Central Asian countries.Different extremist and radical organizations will
continue spreading drugs to finance their actions.Public order will be
undermined by the struggle between drug business organizations for the
spheres of influence, which will destabilize the situation in the region.

Unfortunately, today the Central Asian countries do not have enough funds
to cope with this problem unaided.The region's countries do not have a
common understanding of this problem.Instead, each country pays attention
to its own aspects.

Meanwhile, public, political, ethnic, cultural, social, and economic
changes in Central Asia may turn the region into a big "hot spot."It is a
time for the world to pay more attention to this problem and help
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan take
control of the situation until it has completely gone out of control.