NARCOTIC FLOOD THREATENS TO WASH AWAY CENTRAL ASIAN STABILITY

BISHKEK. Central Asia has become an international center of drug business
and drug trafficking.According to the UN experts, 80% of heroin consumed by
Western Europe comes from Afghanistan and Pakistan.Half of these drugs -
about 120 tons of heroin equivalent a year - is delivered to Europe through
the Central Asian countries.Today the ancient Great Silk Road is used as
the route of drug trafficking.

Drug Expansion

The convenient location of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan makes these countries attractive for
international drug business.These countries lie inbetween the largest drug
producing countries of the world and Europe - the most profitable market.
They lie close to the so-called "Golden Crescent" countries (Afghanistan,
Pakistan, and Iran) and through China they have access to the "Golden
Triangle" countries (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand).Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan border on Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and
Tajikistan have a common border with China with its huge drug sales
market.It is worth noting that until recently China has been the supplier
of ephedrine, a narcotic substance allowed for use in China and prohibited
in most countries of the world.The Central Asian countries are also used
for the transit of heroin produced in labs located in the Middle East
countries.

The huge amount of drugs produced along the border of the Central Asian
countries is a challenge they still cannot answer.Opium poppy production in
the Southwest Asia has grown very high due to Afghanistan which, having
overtaking Myamar, has become the world's leader in drug production.In 1999
Afghanistan produced 4,581 tons of opium, which means nearly 460 tons of
heroin.

Many hoped that after of its victory in Afghanistan the Taliban would
impose considerable restrictions on the Afghan drug business.The Taliban
leader, Mullo Omar, frequently stated that using narcotic substances
contradicts the Islamic canons, and growing opium poppy and production of
heroin run counter to the Shariah.However, the Taliban has not so far
introduced any restrictions.

The Taliban not only turns a blind eye to growing opium poppy but even
levies taxes on drugs, like on any other commodity.This 20% tax is used to
finance military operations.

The main drug destination is Europe.Drugs go there from Afghanistan through
Iran, Turkey, and the southern Balkans, or through the Central Asian
countries, the Caucasus, Russia, and other regions of the former Soviet Union.

Drug Production in Central Asia

The Central Asian countries have old traditions of growing and using drugs,
which were used for smoking and preparing drinks and medicines for
ceremonial parties and everyday use.

Opium has been grown in Central Asia since time immemorial.Opium poppy
plantations existed in Kyrgyzstan even in the 19th century.At that time
opium was used for medical purposes.In the late 19th century the southern
Kazakh city of Shymkent even opened a pharmaceutical plant producing opium
preparations.

In Kyrgyzstan the opium poppy was legally grown until 1974.About 98
collective farms in the Issyk-Kul province produced 80% of the entire opium
output in the Soviet Union, which made up 16% of the world's opium
production.In Soviet times Kyrgyzstan produced hemp which was used for the
production of hemp fiber.Raw hemp was processed at the largest hemp and
jute factory in Central Asia, located in Kyrgyzstan.

Hemp is very a profitable and easy-to-grow plant.In Kyrgyzstan's Osh,
Jalal-Abad, and Chui provinces the harvest period of hemp lasts from April
30 to May 30, in the Issyk-Kul and Talas provinces - from May 15 to June
15, and in the Naryn province - from June 15 to July 5.Tajikistan gathers
2-3 hemp harvests a year.

In 1999 in Kyrgyzstan's Chui Valley wild hemp grew on 400,000 hectares of
land and could give a 500 ton harvest.The valley's potential is estimated
at 6,000 tons a year.According to the Kazakh government, 15,000 acres of
Kazakh land are covered with wild opium poppy and wild hemp.In Kyrgyzstan
even children are involved in hemp growing.One child can gather an 80 gram
equivalent of hashish, worth US $25, a day.Some villages produce up to 100
kg per season.

Central Asia - A Zone of Drug Business

The main drug-related problem in Central Asia is the transit of drugs.An
important factor in local drug transit was the civil war in Tajikistan
since the lion's share of drugs comes through this country.Many Tajiks and
Uzbeks living in areas bordering on Afghanistan have relative on the Afghan
side of the border, and drug trafficking has allowed certain groups to
maintain themselves and appear in the political scene.

Drug barons are interested in further destabilization of the situation in
Central Asia.To facilitate drug trafficking, they have been trying to
frighten off international monitors and experts.Despite peace agreements
signed in Tajikistan, an atmosphere of lawlessness still reigns in some
regions of this country.So in July 1998 four UN experts were killed 170 km
from Dushanbe.On 1 October 2000 a bomb that exploded in downtown Dushanbe
killed eight and wounded nearly 50 people.

As the drug business in Central Asia is growing, Islamic opposition
movements are appearing in the region.The largest such organization - the
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMO) - is headed by the notorious Dzhuma
Namangani.His terrorists took hostages in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in
1999-2000, which made both countries involved in armed conflicts with the
IMU.According to Kyrgyzstan Security Council Chairman, Bolot Januzakov,
Dzhuma Namangani controls nearly 70% of drugs going along the so-called
northern route.

This unique combination of historical and geographical factors has ensured
a large flow of drugs through the region.From 1992 to 1996 the transit of
opium through Central Asia rose 13.5 times.Opium, heroin, morphine, and
hemp are delivered to Europe in exchange for synthetic drugs.

There are several channels for drug trafficking.Afghan traders deliver
drugs to Tajikistan through Pyandzh River and sell them to their Tajik
partners who carry the drugs on to Dushanbe and then send them on to
Moscow.Large volumes of drugs are transported through Kyrgyzstan.The
guarding of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border is very difficult because many of its
sections are over 4,000 meters above sea level. The wintertime air
temperature reaches -40 degrees Celsius.

According to Russia's Interior Ministry, one kilogram of opium in Faizabad
(Afghanistan) costs US $50, in Khorog (Tajikistan) - US $200, in Osh
(Kyrgyzstan) - US $1,000-1,500, in Almaty (Kazakhstan) - US $5,000, and in
Moscow (Russia) the price reaches US $10,000.One kilogram of heroin on the
Afghan-Tajik border costs US $7,000-$10,000.After its delivery to London or
New York, the price exceeds US $200,000.With these prices in mind, the
overall retail cost of the entire 1999 opium harvest could have amounted to
US $100 billion.Only 5%-10% of this amount is seized by the law enforcement
agencies.

Earnings from drug trafficking even at the lowest link of this narcotic
chain are pretty high given that the average wage in Kyrgyzstan in 1998 was
only US $28 per month.The income of residents of border areas is even
lower.This creates ideal conditions for involving local residents in drug
trafficking.Today the drug business in Central Asia involves several
million people and the annual turnover of this industry totals US $14 billion.

The Central Asian countries lack funds to combat the growing drug
business.Local border guard and customs checkpoints lack not only the
necessary equipment but also weapons and even handcuffs.The greater part of
the Murgab section of the Afghan-Tajik border is open.A 750-km road between
Khorog and Osh connecting the Gorno-Badakhshan province of Tajikistan and
southern Kyrgyzstan provides easy access for Uzbekistan's Andizhan.This
route is also an important link on a drug route to China.

When one drug route is closed, some other route appears almost at
once.After the Tashkent bombings in February 1999 Uzbekistan strengthened
the guards on its border with Tajikistan and other neighboring
countries.However, drug traffickers have established a new route through
Khudzhant (Tajikistan) which is becoming a key transit point.

Nevertheless, the Central Asian countries have seen some success in
fighting drug business.In 1998 Tajik law enforcement agencies arrested
1,285 drug traffickers and seized 2,951 kg of drugs.In January-July 1998
Turkmenistan seized more than 15 tons of narcotic substances.In 1998-99 the
law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan seized nearly 7 tons of drugs.In the
first 9 months of 1999 Kazakhstan seized 20 tons of drugs.In
January-November 1998 Kyrgyzstan confiscated over 1.5 tons of drugs.

Drug Use

Since the Central Asian countries gained independence the number of drug
users here has been steadily growing.The rise is caused by the poor control
of public order, the growing influence of criminal organizations, easy
access to drugs, and the recent fall of heroin prices organized by drug
barons to encourage the further spread of drug use.

In Kazakhstan the number of drug users is nearly 200,000, two third of
which are young people below 30.In 1998 Kazakhstan had 12.3 drug users per
every 1,000 citizens - the highest ratio in the region.Turkmenistan has
50,000 drug users, Uzbekistan - 200,000, and Kyrgyzstan - nearly
50,000.About 75% of drug users are people aged between 14 and 30.

The Central Asian countries lack funds and equipment for treating drug
addicts.The region has only a few clinics specializing in treating drug
users.One of them is the Medical Center of Dr. Nazaraliyev in Bishkek
(Kyrgyzstan).Founded in 1991, the Center treats drug users from all Central
Asian countries and Russia, but its services are not affordable to most
drug takers.A month-long course of treatment at the Center costs US
$1,700-$5,000.