Africa and the Middle East

I. Summary

Angola does not have a significant drug production, trafficking, or use problem. Cannabis is cultivated in limited amounts and consumed locally; it is not exported to the U.S. Transit for illegal drugs through Angola appears to be increasing, particularly cocaine from Brazil to South Africa. Seizures of cocaine rose from 16 kilograms in 1999 to 124.5 kilograms this year. Angola is the only Southern African Development Community (SADC) member that has not signed the SADC counternarcotics protocol.

Angola is not a major center of drug production, trafficking, money laundering, or production of precursor chemicals, and is not likely to become one. Angola lacks the industrial base to produce chemicals, and remains underdeveloped and unstable, politically, discouraging money laundering for lack of investment potential. Despite resource challenges, the Angolan National Police increased dramatically the amount of cocaine seized in 2000. The police attribute this to the greater emphasis placed on narcotics trafficking and greater awareness of Angola as a transshipment point for cocaine. Nigerian traffickers control the smuggling of cocaine from Brazil through Angola to South Africa.

Angola is not a signatory to the SADC Counternarcotics Protocol. Money laundering is not an issue in Angola, given the country’s poorly developed financial and banking sector. There are no laws dedicated exclusively to money laundering, although money laundering is defined as a crime in the counternarcotics laws. There have been no cases prosecuted involving public corruption connected to narcotics trafficking. In December 2000, Angola signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

The authorities made 710 drug-related arrests during the first nine months of 2000. In the first nine months of 2000, the authorities opened 619 new cases relating to drugs.

Although Angola has legislation mandating treatment for those convicted of narcotics consumption, there are no public treatment centers. Angola does cooperate with South Africa in fighting the flow of cocaine from Angola to South Africa, and South Africa has offered training and equipment to the Angolan police. Angola also cooperates on a regional basis via the SADC and recently signed a law enforcement cooperation agreement with Brazil, the shipment point in South America for much of the cocaine transiting Angola. The Angolan National Police have expressed strong interest in participating in U.S. training opportunities.

The Angolan National Police will be receiving U.S. counternarcotics training in FY 2001 for the first time. This program stems, in part, from agreements reached during Bilateral Consultative Commission meetings with the U.S., in which Angola expressed strong interest in receiving law enforcement training. Over the longer term, Angola should benefit, as should the whole southern African region, from the U.S.-funded International Law Enforcement Training Academy (ILEA) under construction in Gabarone, Botswana.

I. Summary

The Government of Benin (GOB) continues to make progress in the fight against illegal narcotics trafficking and has taken steps to implement a national drug strategy. Benin is not a major narcotics producing country. Benin remains a transit route for illegal narcotics transiting West Africa. Illegal drug trafficking and GOB drug seizures have increased throughout the year. The GOB has developed a national antidrug policy and is struggling to implement its national action plan and coordinate drug enforcement operations through a newly established central office (OCERTID). Inadequate resources, interagency rivalry and reports of mishandling of evidence or possible corruption have impeded law enforcement efforts.

Benin is not, and is not likely to become, a significant producer of drugs or a source of precursor chemicals. Benin produces a limited amount of cannabis for local consumption. Benin remains a West African transit point for regional traffickers rather than a production site.

Benin's porous borders permit African drug traffickers, primarily Nigerian nationals, freely to transit the country and/or access its ports. This ease of access has made Benin a transshipment point in the regional and sub-regional narcotics trade of heroine, cocaine, and cannabis.

Policy Initiatives. The Ministry of Interior, with EU financial support, completed a comprehensive national antidrug policy and a detailed national action plan this year. In December 2000, Benin's leading antinarcotics enforcement officials and government leaders discussed priorities at a roundtable discussion on ways to finance, support, and implement GOB antidrug policy.

GOB has not established the infrastructure or legal apparatus to enforce the comprehensive antinarcotics law enacted in 1997. The law is based on the UNDCP model designed to bring countries into compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. It criminalizes money laundering and provides for stronger sentences, asset forfeiture, and inter-agency cooperation.

Prompted by the steady increase of drug abuse and drug traffic along the West African coast, the GOB decided to take action in 1999. The Ministry of Justice, Legislation and Human Rights, together with the Ministry of Health, suggested a national policy to fight drug abuse and illegal narcotics trafficking. The government called for a national master plan to report on the drug abuse situation and define strategies to combat this problem. The GOB began drafting a plan in 1999 and the national policy was published in July 2000. The GOB is now struggling to implement the good intentions set out in their policy, but as in any other areas they must confront the problem of limited resources.

Accomplishments. The GOB newly developed national action plan identifies ten antidrug strategies to be implemented over the next six years. It has three major objectives:

• Improve the strategies to combat the use of illegal drugs;

• Reinforce current programs to fight against illegal drug production and trafficking; and

• Develop strategies to prevent drug abuse and provide for the treatment and rehabilitation of ex-drug abusers.

The national antidrug policy identifies six priorities and four complementary programs. The six priorities are as follows:

• Coordinate the national effort against illegal narcotics;

• Provide additional resources to the national drug lab;

• Provide additional resources to law enforcement agencies, increasing their drug intervention capabilities;

• Reinforce smuggling controls at Cotonou's major shipping port;

• Develop programs for the prevention of drug use and treatment of drug abusers;

• Create a national health center for drug abusers.

Complementary projects focus on illegal drug production, prescription drug abusers/traffickers, prevention programs for single families, and the creation of a canine brigade.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The law enforcement agency with primary responsibility for combating narcotics smuggling and drug abuse is the newly created central office against illegal drug trafficking (OCERTID). The OCERTID is subordinate to the director general of the national police, and works with customs, the gendarmes and national police drug units.

Law enforcement agencies have had sporadic success in combating the various elements of the drug trade. The biggest problem facing the government is a lack of equipment and training. The GOB has not been able to supply much in the way of increased resources to law enforcement agencies that are responsible for drug enforcement. This lack of resources undermines such organizational changes as the new central drug policy coordinating body (OCERTID). Adequate resources are still not available or devoted to drug interdiction efforts. Agencies continue to focus their efforts on arresting and prosecuting small-scale couriers and users. Despite the establishment of a central drug office, efforts have been hampered by inter-agency rivalry and a lack of cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

There have also been allegations of improper disposition or destruction of drug evidence. A recent example involved the seizure of 21 kilograms of cocaine at the Cotonou airport in November. This success, the largest seizure of the year, was overshadowed by press reports of disappearing drug evidence and problems in OCERTID. Seizures generally increased in 2000 from last year’s figures. Specifically, in 2000, GOB officials seized 368.247 kilograms of cannabis, an increase from seizures of 24.977 kilograms of cannabis in 1999. Authorities seized 21.494 kilograms of cocaine in 2000, an increase from seizures of 18.26 kilograms of cocaine in 1999. Seizures of heroin in 2000 fell to 7.572 kilograms in 2000, down from 16 kilograms in 1999

Corruption. Press reports have alleged corruption in the government and hinted at problems with the disposition of drug evidence, but the exact extent of corruption and its impact on law enforcement and antidrug operations is unknown. This is a difficult area to discern and resistance to oversight reform still persists within the government.

Agreements and Treaties. Benin is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. In December 2000, Benin signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the protocol on trafficking in persons. A drug enforcement cooperation agreement between the French and Beninese governments is still in force, and continues to aid Benin's antidrug efforts. There is no bilateral extradition or mutual legal assistance treaty between the U.S. and Benin.

Cultivation and Production. Cannabis is the only narcotic cultivated or produced in any sizable quantity in Benin. No figures on the exact extent of production are available at this time. The cannabis grown in Benin is used for domestic consumption.

Drug Flow/Transit. Benin is an important transit/staging point for Southeast Asian heroin being smuggled to Nigeria for onward transport to Europe and the United States, and for South American cocaine being transported to Nigeria en route to Europe. There is no evidence that the heroin that enters the U.S. from Benin is in an amount sufficient to have a significant effect on the U.S. Marijuana from Nigeria transits Benin on its way to other African countries. Nigerian traffickers control drug trafficking activities in Nigeria. In addition to transiting the county overland, drugs depart the country via Cotonou's international airport and seaport.

U.S. Goals and Objectives. The primary objective of the U.S. Government is to combat the transit of drugs to the U.S. or Europe. The goal is to build on successful antinarcotics cooperation efforts, focusing on prevention, interdiction, prosecution, and treatment.

Bilateral Cooperation. The U.S. and Benin signed a Letter of Agreement in 1995 under which the U.S. agreed to provide communications equipment and drug testing kits to GOB narcotics units. This assistance was provided in 1998. The authorities in Benin point to many areas which would benefit from additional assistance. Such help is under consideration, but Benin must compete with other problem narcotics countries in the region.

The Road Ahead. Benin is beginning to seriously address the drug problem in the region by implementing coordinated antidrug measures. This is obviously the first step down a long road. The U.S. Government must continue to engage Benin on the complex issues of counternarcotics enforcement, asset forfeiture, and money laundering while providing assistance whenever possible. Border and port control measures are two obvious priority areas, as is increased training of enforcement personnel. The GOB must strengthen and effectively use the asset forfeiture and narcotics-related money laundering laws that are currently in place.

I. Summary

Botswana is not a major producer of drugs and is not a significant drug transit country. Isolated pockets of marijuana cultivation occur, but eradication efforts keep production levels low. In 2000, drug control officials seized sizable amounts of cannabis, as well as small amounts of cocaine, heroin, and one seizure of phenobarbitane. Exact seizure and crop destruction figures are not available. Based on a slight decrease in the number of drug-related arrests in Botswana, drug control officials see less reason to fear an increase in drug use in Botswana. Nevertheless, cannabis remains a popular drug here, due to its low price. Botswana is a transit point for Mandrax being smuggled from India to South Africa. Individuals caught with drugs in Botswana can expect fines and prison sentences.

Botswana is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. In 1998, Botswana created a National Drug Control Coordination Council, chaired by the Office of the President. In addition, the Government of Botswana has strict legislation against the production, trafficking, and money laundering associated with the drug trade. There was concern that Botswana's status as an offshore financial center might lead to money laundering, so the banking system and regulations surrounding Botswana's International Financial Services Center (IFSC) have been carefully drafted and closely monitored. Botswana courts rigorously sentence drug related offenses, with mandatory sentences of one to five years' imprisonment for possession of fewer than 60 grams of cannabis, and five to ten years for more than 60 grams. In 2000, the authorities made 237 arrests relating to cannabis use. The Botswana National Police Service looks forward to training opportunities provided by donors, such as its 1999 participation in a regional drug enforcement seminar in South Africa sponsored by the U.S. DEA.

There has been a reduction in the number of seizures of drugs transiting and entering the country. Police seized 718 kilograms of cannabis during 2000, mostly from Zambia and Mozambique. In 2000, police seized three shipments of cocaine; the first one originated in Brazil and transited Frankfurt and South Africa en route to Botswana. The second and third cocaine shipments were seized from Nigerian dealers crossing the border into Botswana. Police seized one kilogram and 696 grams in the three shipments. The Botswana Police report good cooperation on narcotics control with their regional partners, especially South Africa and Zimbabwe. The UNDCP has provided drug detection dogs to Botswana for use in drug searches. There are no indications of senior government officials being involved in drug related offenses.

The U.S. Government did not conduct any counternarcotics policy initiatives in Botswana during the reporting year. Police officials anticipate more cooperation with USG officials upon the opening of the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Gaborone, anticipated in late 2001.

I. Summary

Cameroon remains a transit point for drug trafficking. Nigerian nationals, residing in Cameroon, traffic heroin to Europe and to some extent also to the United States. There is no available evidence that the heroin that enters the U.S. from Cameroon has a significant effect on the U.S. Marijuana from Nigeria is smuggled through Cameroon to Europe. Most types of drugs are available in Cameroon, but cannabis is the only drug produced locally in significant quantities. Cannabis is also the most widely consumed drug. There have been only minor drug seizures in 2000. Cameroon is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Cameroon is also a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, as well as to the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Cameroon signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Crime and its protocols in December 2000.

Cameroon produces few illegal drugs and is not known to be heavily involved in trafficking. However, the trafficking situation in Cameroon is difficult to assess because interdiction is sporadic and few records are kept. According to Cameroonian police, interdictions in 2000 were down from the low levels reported in 1999. The police attributed the drop to improved smuggling tactics in the face of customs and police services that are poorly equipped, poorly trained and often indifferent.

The Government of Cameroon (GRC) initiated no new counternarcotics initiatives in 2000. The National Committee for the Fight against Drugs (CNLD), created in 1992 under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, remained inactive. There were no specific legal or law enforcement measures taken to prevent and punish narcotics-related public corruption. Only limited resources and training are available to customs and police officials. Counternarcotics law enforcement activities in 2000 were limited to a few minor drug seizures.

Marijuana is widely available in Cameroon. Cannabis is grown nationwide but is concentrated in the East, Center, Littoral and Northwest provinces. According to the local press, it is the drug most widely used among Cameroonians.

The government of Cameroon does not maintain accurate statistics on drug production or seizures. However, the government did report the following seizures for the period January through November 2000: 2,467.8 kilograms of cannabis, as well as 211 packets not weighed; 2 kilograms of heroin; 53 packets (not weighed) of cocaine; and 125 kilograms of psychotropic drugs. The GRC also reported that 17 hectares and nine other cannabis farms (surface area not reported) were destroyed, and 287 persons were detained for possession, consumption and/or trafficking.

DEA instructors conducted a two week West African Regional Drug Enforcement Seminar in Accra, Ghana, paid for by State Department assistance funds. Six Cameroonian law enforcement officers attended this conference in April 2000. Training was provided in traditional and specialized investigative techniques as related to narcotics investigations. Given the low starting point of GRC capabilities, a small investment in the training of police and customs officials could markedly increase their ability to combat drug trafficking.

I. Summary

With two of the largest ports in Africa and an extensive and developed infrastructure, Côte d’Ivoire has been a transit point for narcotics from Asia and Latin America to Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America for the past several years. Although domestic narcotic drug production is negligible, and limited to cannabis, consumption of hard drugs is increasing. Heroin and cocaine use are rising in Abidjan. As a consequence of the coup, the United States suspended law enforcement training. Côte d’Ivoire is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

Abidjan is a major West African financial center and a regional hub for international airline travel and ocean freight. Following USG civil aviation visits under the "Safe Skies" program, security at Abidjan's International Airport has been tightened somewhat. Nevertheless, drugs and money continue to pass through Ivoirian ports and across porous borders, along with other smuggled goods, including light arms and stolen vehicles. As the middle class grows, there is also a slowly growing domestic trade and use of heroin and cocaine. Police seizures of narcotics are usually small.

Policy Initiatives. During the first six months of 2000, the Ivoirian Government implemented a number of recommendations made by foreign countries interested in improved narcotics law enforcement and incorporated them into a National Antidrug Plan adopted in May 2000. Among other things, the plan identifies drug-abuser rehabilitation and effective enforcement as key priorities for the next year and accordingly defines areas of responsibility between government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international donors.

Accomplishments. Following the December 1999 coup d'etat, the U.S. Government suspended most bilateral assistance under section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act. Côte d’Ivoire continues, however, to cooperate with the U.S. Government and the European Union's (EU) African Antidrug Program to identify training needs for drug abuse prevention, law enforcement, and addict treatment and rehabilitation. A regional narcotics training center in Grand Bassam still offers classes underwritten by the EU.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Foreign antidrug assistance to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (CILAD) and the Regional Training Center for the Battle Against Drugs have contributed significantly to improved law enforcement efforts. During the first half of 2000, Ivoirian police reported making 230 seizures of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and other illegal narcotics. These included cocaine seizures totaling 3.442 kilograms, heroin seizures totaling 1.234 kilograms with the arrest of 20 people, and over 200 marijuana seizures totaling 118.7 kilograms with the arrest of 287 people. The majority of seizures took place at the Port of Abidjan, Abidjan's Felix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport, and post offices. In addition, authorities apprehended eight children being used as "mules" to transport illicit drugs.

Corruption. Corruption continues to hamper efforts to enforce counternarcotics laws effectively. In addition narcotics law enforcement took a low priority during the ten-month-long military regime. Despite highly publicized anticorruption initiatives during the first half of 2000, corruption, ironically, appeared to worsen. While corruption goes largely unpunished, Côte d’Ivoire does not encourage or facilitate illicit narcotics production or distribution of drugs or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions as a matter of state policy. With the primary agencies for narcotics enforcement seeing several leadership changes in ten months, implementation of policy suffered.

Agreements and Treaties. The Government of Côte d’Ivoire is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, 1961 UN Single Convention and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The Ivoirian Government is also a party to several regional counternarcotics cooperation agreements negotiated among members of the West African States' Regional Economic Organization (ECOWAS). Côte d’Ivoire signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in December 2000.

Cultivation/Production. Cannabis is grown in limited quantities in remoter parts of southern Cote d’Ivoire. Most is consumed domestically as marijuana. Crops are frequently concealed among cocoa plantings and then transported overland to Abidjan and other distribution centers. The National Police continue to destroy any cannabis they may find, but they do not keep itemized records of crop seized and quantities destroyed, and there are no good estimates of production.

Drug Flow/Transit. Abidjan is a major transit point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin en route to Europe and to a lesser degree the U.S., and South American cocaine destined for Europe. Cote d’Ivoire’s major seaports in Abidjan and San Pedro reportedly serve as important transit points too. Drugs and other goods cross borders by boat and vehicle, unnoticed or abetted by bribed border officials. There are no reliable statistics on the movement of narcotics.

Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction). Public drug-abuse awareness programs still remain in the planning stages but are making some progress. Following the installation of the new civilian government, several antidrug groups, in collaboration with the Ministries of Interior and of Youth, have met to discuss rejuvenating antidrug efforts. Several government agencies participated in workshops sponsored by the EU's African Antidrug Program to identify core drug education priorities. The resulting broad training effort focuses on drug awareness and demand reduction, as well as on law enforcement, treatment, and rehabilitation of former addicts.

U.S. Policy Initiatives. U.S. policy goals remain focused on reducing use of Côte d’Ivoire as a transit point for narcotics trafficking.

Bilateral Cooperation. With the suspension of aid following the December 1999 coup, U.S. Government assistance at most levels has been frozen. In late 1999, the U.S. Government did purchase a computer and a fax machine for the CILAD, but has not presented them, pending a resolution of Côte d’Ivoire's political crisis and a resumption of U.S. aid.

The Road Ahead. As in previous years, the principle U.S. counternarcotics interest will be drugs entering from Latin America and transiting towards Europe, and possibly the U.S. Training for police, Gendarmerie, customs, and judicial authorities remains the key prerequisite for broader U.S.-Ivoirian engagement in counternarcotics efforts. With a democratically elected government now in power, a resumption of assistance is under review.

I. Summary

The Republic of Egypt is not a major producer, supplier, or consumer of narcotics or precursor chemicals, and it does not have a serious money laundering problem. Heroin and cannabis are transported through Egypt, though the level of traffic has decreased in 2000. The Antinarcotics General Administration (ANGA) is the main drug-fighting organization in Egypt. Egypt is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

Opium and cannabis are grown in Egypt, but Egypt is not a significant producer or consumer of narcotics or precursor chemicals. It is also not a money laundering center. Narcotics destined for Western Europe and the United States continue to be shipped through Egypt, though this phenomenon has diminished in 2000 and there is no evidence that significant amounts of narcotics are reaching the U.S. in this manner. The transshipment of Southwest Asian heroin is made easier by Egypt's long uninhabited borders and by the high level of shipping which passes through the Suez Canal. Narcotics also pass through Cairo International Airport. The substances most commonly abused in Egypt are cannabis and legitimate pharmaceuticals.

ANGA, which has jurisdiction for investigating all criminal matters relating to narcotics, maintains offices in all major cities and airports. By providing equipment and training, the U.S. DEA’s country office assists ANGA in certain smuggling interdiction operations in the Canal Zone and at Cairo Airport, and in crop eradication operations in the Sinai Peninsula and Upper Egypt.

Policy Initiatives. The Government of Egypt (GOE) continues to develop the comprehensive drug control strategy which it formally adopted in 1994. ANGA, the Egyptian Coast Guard, Customs Service, Ministry of Interior, and selected military units cooperate in task forces to interdict narcotics shipments. The ministries of health and education and several religious organizations run drug awareness programs designed to curb demand. All these initiatives are hindered by a lack of money and equipment. Parliament continues to review a draft law which would criminalize money laundering.

Accomplishments. In 2000, parliament passed a law which will allow ANGA to keep for its operational use a portion of the assets seized from narcotics traffickers.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Egyptian law enforcement efforts are largely directed toward combating terrorism; nonetheless, ANGA runs an effective program of arresting low level drug traffickers and users, intercepting narcotics shipments, and eradicating illegal crops. Cultivation of illicit narcotics continues to drop each year. Large scale seizures and arrests are rare, since drug abuse is not a serious problem in Egypt. ANGA runs a drug awareness campaign and a crop substitution program in the Sinai that has not proven successful. ANGA's eradication unit runs monthly operations against cannabis and opium crops in the Sinai. A 1971 law penalizes those who make money through illegal activity. Using this law, prosecutors may impound for up to five years the money and property belonging to a convicted criminal and his family. The Court of Ethics, Egypt's highest criminal court, is then responsible for determining whether the seized assets were obtained as a result of the illegal activity, and therefore forfeit. Up until relatively recently seized assets went directly to the Egyptian Treasury, however a law passed in 2000 provides that a portion of the assets seized in narcotics cases now goes to ANGA.

Corruption. There does not appear to be serious narcotics related corruption in Egypt. However, low level local police officials have been identified and arrested on corruption charges. The GOE has strict laws and harsh penalties for government officials convicted of involvement in narcotics trafficking or related areas.

Agreements and Treaties. Egypt and the U.S. have had an extradition treaty in place since the late 1800s. Egypt is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1971 UN Convention, and the 1961 UN Single Convention and its 1972 Protocol. The Senate granted its advice and consent to ratification of the U.S.-Egypt Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on October 18, 2000, but the Treaty has not yet entered into force. Egypt signed the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime in December 2000.

Cultivation and Production. Cannabis is grown year round in the northern and southern Sinai and in Upper Egypt, and opium poppy is grown in southern Sinai for part of the year. The UNDCP reports that opium production is declining in Egypt, but cannabis production is increasing. The rough terrain dictates that plots be of irregular shape, so ANGA estimates crop sizes by visual inspection. After identifying illegal plots through aerial observation and confidential informants, ANGA conducts daylight eradication operations, cutting and burning the plants. ANGA has not yet implemented its planned herbicide eradication program. No heroin processing plants have been discovered in Egypt for over ten years. There is no evidence that either Egyptian-grown opiates or marijuana reach the U.S. in quantities sufficient to have a significant impact on the U.S.

Drug Flow/Transit. ANGA judges that drug shipments through Egypt have decreased in recent years, and attributes this to improved border surveillance and interdiction, as well as to the creation of new smuggling routes from South Asia through the Commonwealth of Independent States. However, ANGA does intercept illicit shipments of hashish and heroin en route to Western Europe and North America from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction). The ministries of health and interior sponsor a national narcotics campaign and several public awareness campaigns. These programs are aimed at school-aged children and rely on the mass media. DEA’s office in Cairo also assists the GOE with a national drug awareness campaign. Most treatment for the small group of drug abusers is carried out by private doctors.

U.S. counternarcotics policy in Egypt remains to engage in a bilateral program to further reduce transit of narcotics and to decrease opium and cannabis cultivation. This policy has the following specific objectives: increase training; target eradication efforts; improve interdiction methodology; and improve intelligence collection and analysis.

In FY 2001, the U.S. Government plans to provide the GOE with training in police science, anticorruption measures, and border control operations. The DEA country office will continue to work closely with ANGA to improve interdiction and eradication techniques, and to develop additional sources of information on production and trafficking.

I. Summary

Ethiopia does not play a major role in money laundering, precursor chemical production associated with the drug trade, or in the production of narcotic drugs. Ethiopia is strategically located along a major narcotics transit route between Southwest Asian heroin production and European markets and West African trafficking networks. Cannabis is grown in Ethiopia, but most is consumed in rural areas of Ethiopia itself. More heroin is transiting Ethiopia for markets in West Africa, Europe, and the U.S. Nigerian traffickers are active in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The Ethiopian Counternarcotics Unit (ECNU) maintains an interdiction team at Bole International Airport, which is where its two drug sniffer dogs primarily are employed. The interdiction unit routinely screens passengers, luggage, and cargo on flights arriving from "high risk" origins, i.e., Bangkok, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Islamabad. The sniffer dogs are employed examining cargo, and checking luggage. These inspections are conducted routinely with a degree of randomness.

Ethiopia is not now, and not likely to become, significant in the production of narcotic drugs or precursor chemicals or in money laundering. Cannabis is being produced for export primarily to neighboring countries.

Ethiopia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, and continues to strive to fulfill its goals and objectives. The use of heroin and other hard drugs remains quite low, due primarily to the high street price for poor Ethiopians and limited availability. To the extent these hard drugs are available, it is in large part due to the "spillover" effect from the transiting of drug couriers through Bole International Airport. Bole is a major air hub for flight connections between Southeast and Southwest Asia and Africa, and much of the heroin entering and/or transiting Ethiopia comes from Asia. Many of the flights require up to two-day layovers in Addis, permitting the introduction of these drugs into the local populace. In December 2000, Ethiopia signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The ECNU has been severely hampered due to a lack of leadership at the federal level. At the unit level, the ECNU also suffers from managerial/leadership problems. The ECNU commander lacks a commitment to attacking the international drug problem, and the agency remains focused on domestic issues. The interdiction team at Bole has been largely ineffective. While the number of officers assigned has increased, only two have had any real training and they are the only two who can speak a language other than Amharic. The interdiction unit has improved its ability to identify male Nigerian/Tanzanian drug "mules" who traditionally swallow drugs to smuggle them. Arrests at Bole more than tripled from last year's figures.

Policy Initiatives. The Ethiopian Ministry of Justice is in the process of updating the penal code. Currently the maximum sentence for trafficking is two to three years, which does not serve as an effective deterrent to using Ethiopia as a transit country. Additionally, Ethiopia lacks a central coordination body to coordinate systematically antidrug activities of the Ministries of Education, Health, and Justice. Senior Ethiopian government officials are attempting to refocus attention on the drug problem and to re-commit Ethiopia to countering narcotraffickers.

(Money laundering is not considered a problem.) Asset seizure, extradition, and mutual legal assistance, as in past years, were of little significance. The United States does not have an extradition treaty with Ethiopia.

There were no major policy initiatives undertaken in 2000. The focus has remained on the law enforcement side, specifically the ECNU. Ethiopia has limited resources and must rely on assistance from external sources. Overall, the ECNU needs more training, better facilities, and improved access to resources. The persistent weakness of the ECNU's current leadership, however, makes any immediate improvement quite difficult.

I. Summary

Ghana takes an active stance against drug abuse and illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Ghana has active enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation programs. Ghana is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

Ghana is a transit point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin being smuggled to Europe and the U.S., and South American cocaine being smuggled to Europe. Increasing amounts of heroin are destined for the U.S. Some of the cocaine might also be smuggled to South Africa. Trafficking occurs at Accra's Kotoka International Airport as well as at the ports of Tema and Sekondi. Overland trafficking occurs at the land borders with Togo (Aflao) and Cote d'Ivoire (Elubo). As Nigeria improves its interdiction efforts, Nigerian traffickers are strengthening their presence in Ghana. Ghana-U.S. law enforcement coordination continues to grow in strength and effectiveness. The trafficking problem has fueled an increase in domestic consumption. Marijuana use is a problem in Ghana, although the extent of local cultivation is uncertain because of its clandestine nature. Through public education programs, citizens assist in combating drug trafficking and abuse. Money laundering occurs, but this is not a major problem. Precursor chemicals are also not a major problem.

Policy Initiatives. The Narcotics Control Board (NCB) coordinates the efforts of, and cooperates with, all organizations involved in counternarcotics activities. The NCB's 2000 activities encompassed numerous areas of counternarcotics, including enforcement and control, education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and social re-integration. In 1999 the NCB completed its counternarcotics master plan, the "National Plan of Action 1999–2003." The European Commission, through its African Antidrug Program (AADP) for West Africa, provided financial and technical support. This plan is still waiting for government approval.

In 1999, reacting to difficulties with the current narcotics law, the NCB submitted proposals to the Ghanaian government to amend the 1990 narcotics law in order to increase penalties for drug offenses; raise the fine for narcotics-related violations due to depreciation of the Cedi; allow the NCB to manage and administer any property forfeited under the narcotics laws; and allow prosecution for possession or control of anyone who employs a courier "mule," agent or servant. These proposals are still pending government approval.

Accomplishments. The NCB and other law enforcement agencies enjoyed greater and more successful cooperation with U.S. law enforcement agencies. Most notably, this resulted in the arrests of a number of Ghanaian drug traffickers, two of whom have been convicted. The NCB increased its national drug education efforts to include district assemblies, which resulted in increased law enforcement/civilian cooperation in combating drug cultivators and traffickers.

Ghana attended the 43rd session of the Commission on Narcotics Drugs in Vienna in March 2000. Ghana also attended the Fourth Inter-Ministerial Drug Control Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, in October 2000.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The police’s Criminal Investigative Division's (CID) narcotics unit based in Accra undertakes interdiction exercises, surveillance, raids, arrests, seizures and prosecutions alone or in joint operations with officials of the NCB. NCB narcotics squads are located at known drug-prone areas—Kumasi (Ashanti Region), Koforidua (Eastern Region), Ho (Volta Region), and Tema (Greater Accra Region)—which conduct similar operations. The Customs Excise and Preventative Service (CEPS) Headquarters also has a counternarcotics unit, as well as antidrug squads at some of Ghana's borders (at Aflao, on the border with Togo, and at Elubo, on the border with Cote d'Ivoire), and at Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Figures show an increase in cocaine-related arrests but a decrease in cocaine seizures. The decrease in seizures may be due to the January and February 2000 arrests of major Nigerian drug traffickers who were primary suppliers of cocaine to Ghana. A gram of cocaine, depending on its purity, sells at Cedis 100,000–120,000 (approx. $15–$18). Heavily diluted cocaine sells at Cedis 60,000–80,000 per gram (approx. $9–$12).

Figures also show an increase in heroin-related arrests, but a decrease in heroin seizures. This may be due to the deterrent effect of increased law enforcement vigilance at the borders. A gram of heroin, depending on its purity, sells at Cedis 80,000–100,000 (approx. $12–$15). Heavily diluted heroin sells at Cedis 50,000–60,000 per gram (approx. $7–$9).

There was a large increase in marijuana-related arrests, but a decrease in marijuana seizures in 2000. The amount of marijuana seized may have increased drastically in December 2000 (figures not yet available), because the NCB often seizes more marijuana after the marijuana crop is harvested in September-October. The NCB has also received more information on drug cultivators and dealers from the public after increased public education on the harmful effect of drugs on the individual and the society. A kilogram of marijuana sells at Cedis 12,000 (approx. $1.80). A wrap or joint sells at approx. Cedis 5000–6000 (approx. $.70–$.90).

Drug dealers, using matchsticks as measures, retail cocaine or heroin at prices between Cedis 2,000–6,000 (approx. $.30–.90), depending on purity. The matchstick is dipped in cocaine or heroin powder and what collects on the head of the match is sold. A drug addict might need eight to twelve of these matchsticks per day.

The police narcotics unit and the NCB have worked closely with the Accra INS sub-office. INS Accra shares information about drug activities between the U.S. and Ghana with the Ghanaian police and NCB, who corroborate the information and ultimately work the case. This free exchange of information has resulted in the arrest of several drug dealers, including the arrest of an individual in Ghana, who is now the subject of a U.S. pending extradition request.

In April 2000, a Ghanaian drug smuggling syndicate based in the U.K. and Holland was apprehended by British and Dutch security personnel. Three Holland-based Ghanaians were arrested in Amsterdam, preparing to smuggle cocaine to the U.K. from Suriname. Four other U.K.-based Ghanaians have also been arrested and convicted. They received from four to 20 years in prison.

A combined team of the NCB's rapid deployment unit and the police narcotics unit continued to investigate the production and distribution of narcotics and to destroy cultivated cannabis farms and plants in 2000.

The NCB has succeeded in working with DHL and Federal Express to intercept packages containing narcotics that were destined for the U.S., Ghana or London. The NCB has also apprehended members of a drug ring in the Brong-Ahafo Region who were colluding with transport drivers to smuggle drugs through the country.

Corruption. In 2000, there were no narcotics-related public corruption cases reported. In two 1998 cases involving the Bureau of National Intelligence and the Judicial Service, the four officers involved in the case were dismissed from service.

Agreements and Treaties. U.S.-Ghana extradition relations are governed by the 1931 U.S.-U.K. Extradition Treaty, to which Ghana acceded. Ghana has extradited four narcotics offenders to the U.S. under this treaty (one in 1992 and two in 1994), and one in January 2001 to New Jersey. Additionally, Ghana is a party to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocol Agreement, which includes an extradition provision. Ghana is also a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1971 UN Convention of Psychotropic Substances, and the 1961 UN Single Convention and its 1972 Protocol.

Cultivation and Production. Marijuana or cannabis grows in Ghana, so it is easily available and widely abused. The cannabis comes from the rural areas, where it is cultivated illicitly, to the urban areas, where there is a ready market for it. Some cannabis is trafficked to neighboring and European countries. Cannabis is usually harvested in September and October, and knowing this, law enforcement teams increase surveillance and investigation during this time. As a result, a large amount of arrests for cannabis cultivation are made in the latter part of the year.

Drug Flow/Transit. Cocaine and heroin are the main drugs that transit Ghana. Marijuana is smuggled from Ghana to other African countries and to Europe. Narcotics entering Ghana are sometimes repackaged for reshipment to the United States and Europe through various concealment methods, such as: hidden in false compartments in briefcases, bags, and cartons; deposited into unaccompanied baggage; hidden in exported foodstuffs (yams, pineapples, palm oil, fish, kola nuts, etc.); or placed in condoms or cellophane and swallowed by individuals. According to DEA, there has been a notable increase in the number of intercepted packages of narcotics destined for Accra. There is no evidence that drugs transiting Ghana have a significant effect on the U.S.

According to the NCB, citizens of neighboring West African countries increasingly use Ghanaian passports to travel because it raises less suspicion than other countries' (e.g., Nigeria). In addition, drug smugglers often purchase their tickets in Ghana because the exchange rate favors their currencies. The NCB reports that after a series of unpublicized orientation courses for law enforcement officers this year, security agents were able to increase greatly arrests of drug smugglers. No illegal drug labs were detected in Ghana in the year 2000.

Demand Reduction. The NCB works with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to encourage members of Ghana's 110 district assemblies to include narcotics prevention in their education programs. To date, the NCB has conducted drug education programs in 98 of the district assemblies. The NCB also works with the Ministries of Health and Education through the ministries' representatives on the Board. Drug prevention education programs, such as the program the NCB held on the International Day Against Drug Abuse on June 26, target the general public as well as the ministries themselves.

The NCB has received cooperation from Ghanaian newspapers in publishing names and pictures of arrested drug offenders, which the NCB hopes will increase awareness of the repercussions of drug activities.

In September 2000, the NCB, in collaboration with the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) Regional Office for West and Central Africa, organized a national workshop on drug abuse in Ghana. In October and November 2000, the NCB organized workshops to educate media on narcotics issues, and to coordinate with NGOs on a drug prevention education action plan.

With school authorities, the NCB has helped establish drug-free clubs in all secondary schools to apply peer pressure in drug prevention education. In 1999 the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the NCB, placed drug prevention education in the curriculum of all secondary schools and teacher training colleges. The NCB distributes literature, broadcasts antidrug information on the radio, and delivers talks at schools nationwide.

The School Health Education Program (SHEP) handles all drug prevention education in Ghanaian schools. In addition, in 1999 the NCB and the Ghana Education Service formed a committee with SHEP, school guidance counseling units, and the welfare unit, to oversee drug prevention education. Treatment programs have lagged behind preventative education and enforcement due to lack of funding.

U.S. Goals/Objectives. U.S. goals are: to strengthen Ghanaian law enforcement capacity; to strengthen the Ghanaian government's ability to identify, investigate, and prosecute narcotics-related crime; and to reduce Ghana's role as a transit point for narcotics.

Bilateral Cooperation (Accomplishments). U.S. Customs participated in a counter narcotics survey with DEA in April 2000. Ghana and DEA co-sponsored a regional antinarcotics course for law enforcement officers in March. INS Accra joined DEA in conducting the training. Law enforcement officers from Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cameroon attended. In September the U.S. and Ghana signed a Letter of Agreement renewing their narcotics cooperation and calling for the U.S. to provide $82,000 in equipment to support the NCB in its efforts to combat narcotics in Ghana.

In November 2000, Ghana's Police Criminal Investigative Division, working with U.S. Customs and DEA, apprehended the Ghanaian leader of an East Coast narcotics ring. The alleged drug smuggler is the subject of an extradition request.

Ghana has also received technical equipment from the German government and the UNDCP to aid the NCB's counternarcotics activities.

The Road Ahead. The U.S. wants to continue its productive relationship with the Government of Ghana to improve Ghana's narcotics interdiction and investigative capabilities.

I. Summary

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a major transit route for opiates smuggled from Afghanistan and through Pakistan to the Persian Gulf, Turkey, Russia and Europe. There is no evidence that narcotics that transit Iran are in an amount sufficient to have a significant effect on the U.S. at this time. Iran is no longer a major drug-producing country. An extensive 1998 U.S. survey concluded that the amount of opium poppy cultivation in Iran is negligible, down from an estimated 3,500 hectares in 1993. A follow-up survey in 1999 reached the same conclusion. However, as the President’s November 2000 notification to the U.S. Congress of the list of major drug producing and transit countries stated, Iran is a country of concern. As with all former producing countries, the USG continues to watch closely for evidence of renewed poppy cultivation or evidence that drugs transiting Iran reach the U.S. in significant quantities. The Government of Iran (GOI) has informed the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP) that Iran has a growing drug addiction problem and lacks the resources to counter it.

The GOI has demonstrated a sustained political commitment to combat narcotics. Iran has been in the forefront of efforts by the international community to combat the Afghan drug trade, leads all other countries in the region in drug seizures by a wide margin, and has lost 3,000 law enforcement personnel in clashes with drug traffickers. No other country has taken the fight to the Afghan drug trade to this extent. The UNDCP opened a country office in Tehran in June 1999, and inaugurated a $12.7 million drug control project with Iran. Iran has received assistance from the United Kingdom and Germany and has bilateral counternarcotics cooperation agreements with 11 other countries.

Iran has ratified the 1988 UN Drug Convention, but its laws do not bring it completely into conformity with the Convention. The UNDCP is working with Iran to modify Iran's laws, train the judiciary, and improve the court system.

Land routes across Iran constitute the single largest conduit for Southwest Asian opiates en route to European markets. Entering from Afghanistan and Pakistan into eastern Iran, heroin, opium, and morphine are smuggled overland, usually to Turkey but also to Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Drugs are also smuggled by sea across the Persian Gulf.

Iran is no longer a major drug-producing country. An extensive 1998 U.S. survey and a 1999 follow-up survey both concluded that the amount of opium poppy cultivation was negligible, down from an estimated 3,500 hectares in 1993. According to the UNDCP, there are no reports indicating illicit narcotics cultivation in Iran.

Drug addiction in Iran is a growing problem. In 2000, Iran estimated that the number of drug addicts was approximately 1.2 million, with an additional 600,000 drug abusers. Observers ascribe the GOI's more aggressive antidrug policies, at least in part, to concern over burgeoning drug addiction and related crime problems in major Iranian urban centers. Although the most common drugs of abuse are opium and hashish, the UNDCP reports that the use of heroin, including by injection, is increasing in Iran.

Policy Initiatives. The UNDCP opened a country office in Tehran in June 1999. The UNDCP and the GOI signed an agreement for a four-year project called "NOROUZ" ("New Year" in Farsi). The project is budgeted at $12,701,200 by UNDCP, and supported by Iran at the level of $120 million per year. The project has four parts: interdiction, demand reduction, legal assistance and reform, and community awareness. Since 1995, the GOI has better recognized the magnitude of its domestic drug abuse problem and has given counternarcotics efforts more resources and higher-level attention.

In January 2000, Iran hosted the first International Conference of Drug Liaison Officers, which was attended by representatives of regional and European countries, as well as Canada and Australia. The conference agreed to establish a regional drug control information center in Tehran.

Iran has asked the UNDCP and its member nations to support Iran's counternarcotics efforts because Iran's efforts reduce the flow of drugs to Europe. In response, the United Kingdom has provided nearly $2 million for counternarcotics assistance.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The Antinarcotics Headquarters coordinates the drug-related activities of the police, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Ministries of Intelligence and Security, Health, and Islamic Guidance and Education. Iran claims to spend up to $400 million annually against drugs.

Iran pursues an aggressive border interdiction effort. A senior Iranian official told UNDCP that Iran has invested as much as $800 million in a system of berms, channels, concrete dams, sentry points, and observation towers, as well as a road along the entire eastern border. According to press reports, the Iranian government also intends to build a fence along its border with Afghanistan. There are enormous on-going costs associated with these projects. Thirty thousand law enforcement personnel are regularly deployed along the border, and Iran reports that more 3,000 law enforcement officials have been killed in clashes with heavily-armed smugglers during the last two decades. Interdiction efforts by the police and the Revolutionary Guards resulted in numerous drug seizures. According to the UNDCP, Iranian officials seized 253,275 kilograms of illicit drugs in 1999 and 116,475 kilograms of illicit drugs in the first six months of 2000, dismantling a total of 2,310 trafficking groups in 1999 and 2000. In addition, after two years of bumper crops in Afghanistan, opium stocks are likely to be at record levels, making it unlikely that drugs will stop flowing into Iran in large amounts.

Drug offenses are under the jurisdiction of the Revolutionary Courts. Punishment for narcotics offenses is severe, with death sentences possible for possession of more than 30 grams of heroin or five kilograms of opium. Those convicted of lesser offenses may be punished with imprisonment, fines, or lashes, although lashing is said to have been used less in the last year or two. Offenders between the ages of 16 and 18 are afforded some leniency. Iran has executed more than 10,000 narcotics traffickers in the last decade. According to the UNDCP, Iranian officials made 228,413 drug-related arrests (including on charges of drug abuse) in 1999, while the number of prisoners convicted on drug-related charges was 85,301, approximately 60 percent of Iran’s total prison population. Some human rights groups allege that the government has been known to charge its political opponents with drug offenses falsely as a means of neutralizing their political activities.

Corruption. Although there is no indication that high government officials aid or abet narcotics traffickers, there are periodic reports of corruption among lower-level law enforcement, which is consistent with the transit of multiple-ton drug shipments across Iran. Punishment of corruption appears to be harsh.

Agreements and Treaties. Iran is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Its legislation does not bring it completely into conformity with the Convention, particularly in the areas of money laundering and controlled deliveries. The UNDCP is working with Iran through the NOROUZ Program to modify its laws, train the judiciary, and improve the court system. Iran is a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention, and has signed bilateral counternarcotics agreements with Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Iran has shown an increasing desire to cooperate with the international community on counternarcotics matters and recently signed separate quadripartite MOUs on money laundering and drug control with Armenia, Georgia, and UNDCP as well as Azerbaijan, Georgia, and UNDCP. In January 2000, according to press reports, Iranian airport officials visited Cyprus to look into ways to control drug trafficking from Iran to Cyprus. Iran participates with the UNDCP and Pakistan on a reasonably successful project to bolster drug interdiction efforts on the Iran-Pakistan border. Iran is a member of the ten-nation Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which established a counternarcotics center as part of its secretariat. In March, the Iranian permanent envoy to the UN's Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) was elected by a large majority to chair the Commission for a one-year term. Under his able chairmanship, the Commission developed a reporting and evaluation program to follow up on commitments made at the 1998 UNGA Special Session on Drugs. Iran has been active participant on counternarcotics issues through the UN's "Six Plus Two" process on Afghanistan, and signed the Six Plus Two Regional Action Plan in September. Iran signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in December, 2000.

Cultivation and Production. A 1998 U.S. survey of opium poppy cultivation in Iran and a detailed multi-agency assessment concluded that the amount of poppy being grown in Iran is negligible. The survey looked at more than 1.25 million acres in Iran's traditional poppy-growing areas, and found no poppy crops growing there, although the survey could not rule out the possibility of some cultivation in remote areas. A follow-up survey in 1999 reached the same conclusion. This evidence that no poppies are being grown is consistent with Iranian claims and evidence from other concerned countries and the UNDCP.

U.S. opium crop estimates were a major factor in placing Iran on the Majors List in previous years. In 1993, a previous survey showed 3,500 hectares under cultivation. Iran was removed from the Majors List in 1998, following the survey.

Drug Flow/Transit. Shipments of opiates enter Iran overland from Pakistan and Afghanistan by camel, donkey or truck caravans, often organized and protected by heavily-armed ethnic Baluch tribesmen from either side of the frontier. Once inside Iran, large shipments are either concealed within ordinary commercial truck cargoes or broken down into smaller sub-shipments. Foreign embassy observers report that Iranian interdiction efforts have disrupted smuggling convoys sufficiently to force smugglers to change tactics and emphasize concealment. The use of human mules reportedly is on the rise.

Most of the opiates smuggled into Iran are smuggled to neighboring countries for further processing and transportation to Europe. Turkey is the main processing destination for these opiates, most of which are bound for consumption in Russia and Europe. Established trade and smuggling routes from Iran through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia provide alternative routes to Russia and Europe that bypass Turkish interdiction efforts. Additionally, despite the risk of severe punishment, marine transport is used through the Persian Gulf to the nations of the Arabian Peninsula, taking advantage of modern transportation and communication facilities and a laissez faire commercial attitude in that area. A significant, but unknown, quantity of opiates smuggled into Iran remain there for domestic consumption by an estimated 1.8 million users.

Demand Reduction. The Government of Iran estimates the number of drug addicts at over 1.2 million, with an additional 600,000 drug abusers. However, a physician and member of the national committee against AIDS estimated that there are 3.3 million addicts. UNDCP estimates that 1.5 to two percent of a population of 63 million has a serious drug problem. Ninety-three percent of these are male, with a mean age of 33.4 years (plus or minus 10.5 years), and 1.4 percent are HIV positive. In the past, the Islamic Republic attacked illegal alcohol use with more fervor than drug abuse, and was reluctant to discuss drug problems openly. Since 1995, public awareness campaigns and attention by two successive Iranian Presidents as well as cabinet ministers and the parliament have given demand reduction a significant boost. Under the NOROUZ plan, the Government of Iran spent more than $68 million dollars in the first year for demand reduction and community awareness. The Prevention Department of Iran's Social Welfare Association runs 12 treatment and rehabilitation centers, as well as 39 out-patient treatment programs in all major cities. Some 30,000 people are treated per year, and some programs have three-month waiting lists. Narcotics Anonymous and other self-help programs can be found in almost all districts as well and several nongovernmental organizations focus on drug demand reduction. There are no methadone treatment or HIV prevention programs, although HIV infection in the prison population is a serious concern.

In the absence of diplomatic relations with Iran, the United States of America has no narcotics initiatives in Iran. The United States Government continues to encourage regional cooperation against narcotics trafficking. Iran and the U.S. have expressed similar viewpoints on illicit drugs and the regional impact of the Afghan drug trade. In the context of multilateral settings such as the UN's Six Plus Two group, the U.S. and Iran worked together productively. Iran nominated the U.S. to be coordinator of the Six Plus Two counternarcotics initiative.

The Road Ahead. The GOI has demonstrated sustained national political will and taken strong measures against illicit narcotics, including cooperation with the international community. Iran's actions support the global effort against international drug trafficking. Iran's effort to work more closely with its neighbors to counter the Afghan drug trade is another promising development.

I. Summary

Israel is not a significant trafficker or producer of drugs, however the expanding supply of drugs in Israel is a significant problem. Israel works closely with U.S. agencies in combating drug trafficking. On August 8, 2000, Israel passed legislation that criminalizes money laundering, creates procedures for criminal and civil forfeiture of the proceeds of money laundering, introduces reporting of the transfers of currency into and out of Israel, and authorizes the issuance of regulations requiring the reporting of irregular transactions by Israel financial institutions. Israel is now in the process of implementing regulations to implement this new law. Israel plans to become a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention in the near future.

Israel is not a significant trafficker or producer of drugs or precursor chemicals. Internally, the drug market is experiencing a growing demand among nearly all sectors of the population and an expanding supply of a wide variety of drugs.

In June 2000 Israel was included in the announcement of non-cooperative countries, published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), primarily because Israel at that time did not have a comprehensive legal mechanism for fighting money laundering. However Israel in August passed money laundering legislation, and is now in the process of formalizing regulations to implement the new law.

Policy Initiatives. The Antidrug Authority (ADA) sets Israeli drug policy, and has focused its initiatives on children and youth at high risk for the past several years. Its budget has remained approximately $9.5 million during this time. The ADA continues to coordinate the activities of the ministries responsible for various antidrug initiatives (Education, Health, Labor and Social Affairs, Interior, Justice/Internal Security), and reports directly to the Prime Minister. The ADA remains concerned about the expanding supply of drugs, including marijuana, amphetamines and their derivatives, as well as heroin, cocaine and LSD.

Israel continues to work closely with the U.S. DEA and U.S. Customs officials. This year the Israeli Customs Authority expanded its responsibility over narcotics-related enforcement activities, and initiated new training for its officers on conducting drug searches.

Accomplishments. Israel's passing of money laundering legislation was a key accomplishment in 2000. As of December 2000, Israel police have formalized regulations regarding reporting mechanisms, and we expect banking regulations to be finalized in coming weeks. Israel is also in the process of setting up a Money Laundering Authority (to include a Financial Intelligence Unit), which will coordinate information and activities with Israeli police, customs, banks and all other relevant entities.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Some 19,066 drug-related files were opened by the Israeli police during the first ten months of 2000, a more than 16 percent rise over the same period the previous year. The number of drug-related arrests during the first ten months of 2000 rose six percent over the same period last year to 3,923. Since the mid-1990s drug files have accounted for about four percent of all criminal files. In the last decade the number of files involving drug crimes increased 143 percent from some 8,000 files in 1989 to nearly 19,500 files in 1999. The Israeli police report that most drug criminals are males between the ages of 22 to 35; some 30 percent are non-Jews and the remaining ten percent are women.

This year Israel seized some 260,000 ecstasy tablets, down from last year's 464,651, but more than double the number of tablets seized in 1998. Seizures of cannabis were up to 8,557.6 kilograms during the first ten months of 2000, compared to 3,470 during the first ten months of 1999. Seizures of cocaine in Israel this year dropped to about 9.8 kilograms as compared to 28 kilograms in 1999. (More than 50 kilograms of cocaine were seized in other countries en route to Israel, according to Israeli police.) Some 7,681 blotters of LSD were seized this year, similar to the 7,301 seized last year. The authorities seized 65.8 kilograms of heroin during the first ten months of 2000, compared to 112.5 kilograms in the first ten months of 1999.

Corruption. Israel has no cases of government corruption in narcotics issues, nor is there any explicit or implicit official support for narcotics-related activities. Israel does not have legislation for public corruption relating to narcotics per se, but punishes corruption in all government matters when proven.

Agreements and Treaties. In 1991 Israel and the U.S. signed a Memorandum of Understanding calling for bilateral cooperation to combat illicit narcotics trafficking and abuse. A Dual Taxation Treaty entered into force between the U.S. and Israel in 1994, which grants U.S. tax authorities limited access to bank account information. A customs mutual assistance agreement and a mutual legal assistance treaty are also in force between Israel and the U.S. On December 12, 2000, Israel signed the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in Palermo, Italy. Israel has acceded to the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and is a party to the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics and its 1972 Protocols. Israel is one of 36 parties to the European Treaty on Extradition and has separate extradition treaties with several other countries, including the U.S. Under a 1999 law, an Israeli citizen who is deemed a "resident" of Israel at the time of the extradition request may be extradited for trial abroad only if the state seeking extradition promises in advance to return the person to Israel to serve any sentence imposed. Israel is party to a number of other bilateral and multilateral agreements that through unrelated issues allow for extradition and asset seizure. Israel cooperates with UNDCP. Israel has signed but has not ratified the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Israel now has legislation in place for each of the 11 principal elements of the Convention.

Cultivation/Production. Israeli police report that marijuana is cultivated locally in Israel and drugs are produced in clandestine laboratories in limited quantities. The amount cultivated or produced locally has only a marginal impact on the local drug market, and no proven impact on the U.S.

Drug Flow/Transit. Most of the drugs that are imported to Israel are consumed in Israel. Three tons of marijuana, which had transited Israel from South Africa to Romania, were seized in 2000. The Israeli police have no additional information to indicate Israel has acted as a drug transit point this year. The main countries that provide illicit narcotics to Israel include Jordan (heroin, ecstasy, cocaine), Lebanon (heroin, cannabis), Egypt (marijuana), India and Turkey. Source and transit countries also include Asia, Europe, South America and the United States. Israeli police indicate that Israelis play a major role in international drug trafficking networks in source, transit and distribution countries.

Amphetamines and their derivatives, originating primarily from the Netherlands, are the most prevalent drugs in Israel. The most widely used derivative is MDMA (ecstasy), which is generally marketed in the form of a capsule or tablet bearing various imprints (or occasionally in the form of powder). The drug is widely used at "acid parties" which have become popular among Israeli youths. The availability of amphetamines on the Israeli market is estimated to be in the millions of tablets; the price of an ecstasy tablet ranges from $12-$25.

The supply of marijuana (primarily from Egypt) has increased in Israel, and is measured by tens of tons. The price of 4-5 grams of marijuana is $12-$20, and it is $175-$500 per kilogram. Hashish use has steadily decreased. Israeli police say this is probably the result of reduction in hashish cultivation in Lebanon due to international pressure to destroy the crops. The hashish market in Israel is measured in hundreds of kilograms.

Heroin is widely available in Israel (mostly transiting from Jordan, also from Lebanon and Egypt), although there has been a decrease in the quantities seized thus far this year (65.8 kilograms as compared to 112.5 kilograms in 1999). The heroin market is measured in tons, and prices range from $12-$25 for a dose, $25-$50 for a gram, and $22,500-$30,000 for a kilogram. Israeli police indicate that Jordan has become an important transit country for heroin trafficked from Lebanon and Turkey via Syria, but this heroin goes to Europe. There is no evidence that significant amounts of heroin trafficked through Israel reach the U.S.

Cocaine is widely available on the Israeli market (measured in tons), and is imported from source countries in South America (Peru, Bolivia and Colombia) and from transit countries in South and Central America (Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, and Paraguay) as well as from Europe and the U.S. The price of a gram ranges from $38-$112 and a kilogram costs $50,000-$55,000.

LSD has become more popular in Israel over the past decade, and is measured in tens of thousands of LSD squares. The price of LSD is $12-$25 per blotter, or $15 for a micro-tablet. An expensive drug used by a small sector of the population, the opium market is measured in tens of kilograms.

Domestic Consumption of Illicit Drugs. The Israeli police estimate that the Israeli drug market is valued at billions of dollars per year. In 2000, the police estimated the size of the Israeli drug market for 2000 as 50 tons of marijuana, five tons of heroin, two to three tons of cocaine, millions of amphetamine tablets and tens of thousands of LSD blotters.

Domestic Programs. The Israel Antidrug Authority (ADA) works in the areas of prevention, education, public awareness, treatment and rehabilitation, law enforcement, community development, research and information, personnel training, and encouragement of NGOs. The ADA focuses on youth and soldiers, through the Ministry of Education, local authorities, the media and parents. Youth groups considered at highest risk are new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and the Arab sector, according to the ADA. "Rave culture" is gaining strength in Israel.

The ADA's main prevention methods are creating awareness of the risks of drug use and providing programs to help "at risk" youth through peer counseling, sports, travel and other programs. The ADA has modified its programs to meet specific cultural and educational needs of minorities and new immigrants. It focuses on youths both in the official educational system and in Israel's many youth movements, centers, and sports clubs, as well as the Army. The ADA also coordinates drug-related programs of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor/Social Affairs, as well as throughout the NGO community.

According to the ADA, there are 250,000 drug users (from casual to hard core addicts for all types of drugs) in Israel. Of those, an estimated 20,000 are heroin addicts.

Policy Initiatives. The U.S. continues to aim to assist Israel in building a self-sustaining drug interdiction force and foster regional cooperation with Israel's neighbors on antidrug issues.

Bilateral Cooperation. There is excellent ongoing cooperation between the USG and Israel on the exchange of records in connection with narcotics investigations and proceedings. U.S. DEA officials in Cyprus report that their Israeli counterparts keep good records on narcotics-related issues and always share them with the USG. U.S. Customs officials in Rome concur that Israeli authorities are fully cooperative with Customs investigations.

The Road Ahead. As Israel has passed money laundering legislation this year, it has cleared the last impediment preventing it from ratifying the 1988 UN Drug Convention, which it plans to do in the near future. Israel's Antidrug Authority will continue to focus on prevention within the youth segment of the population. Israeli Customs authorities plan to expand the number of drug-sniffing dogs in 2001 as part of the country's overall effort to improve drug interdiction on its borders and within its ports of entry.

I. Summary

Jordan's domestic drug abuse problem remains small due principally to the active enforcement of existing laws, and the cultural and religious norms which help limit the use of illegal drugs. Jordan remains, however, a transit country owing to its pivotal location between drug producing countries to the north, and drug consuming countries to the south and west.

Cooperation between neighboring countries, particularly Lebanon and Syria is ongoing and strong. Cooperation with Israel continues, but Jordan hopes for a more comprehensive and cooperative agreement. Hashish abuse remains on the decline due largely to eradication efforts and tough enforcement from Lebanon, where the drug reportedly originates. Jordanian officials announced a three-year national strategy to combat drugs of abuse in December 1999. Jordan is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and looks forward to increased support from the European Union and the United States to improve its enforcement capabilities.

No obvious indicators suggest that Jordan’s status will change from a narcotics transit country to a narcotics producing country in the foreseeable future. Seizure statistics and reported drug use appear to support this assessment.

Policy Initiatives. In December 1999, Jordanian officials announced "The National Plan To Combat Drugs And Psychotropic Substances," a government-wide project scheduled to run through 2001. The estimated budget of the project is U.S. $22.4 million. Activities during the past year consisted mainly of meetings to discuss demand reduction and law enforcement/drug transit cooperation. The plan has three main objectives: prevention, enforcement, and treatment.

Law Enforcement Efforts. As a member of Jordan's Ministry of Interior, Jordan's Public Security Directorate maintains an active Antinarcotics and Counterfeiting Bureau. The bureau sought and received training from France during the reporting period. France trained Jordanian enforcement officers in raid and self defense techniques during narcotic investigations. Jordan continues to seek training assistance from the U.S. and other European nations.

Cannabis and heroin seizures rose in 2000 to 127 kilograms from 41 kilograms the previous year; cannabis seizures at 297 kilograms were also up sharply from a year ago (46 kilograms). The largest heroin seizure ever occurred in 2000, when police and antinarcotics officers seized 107 kilograms of heroin being smuggled into Jordan by way of the Syrian border. The heroin was valued at about U.S. $4 million. Seizures of synthetic drugs in tablet form also increased dramatically during 2000. The tablets are a combination of amphetamines, colloquially called "captagon." Enforcement officials attribute this increase to the flow of drugs from Turkey, making their way to and through Jordan. Jordanian officials hope to further enhance the already existing antinarcotics cooperation with Turkish enforcement officials and improve efforts to combat this increase.

Corruption. Jordanian officials report no narcotic-related corruption or investigations into narcotics-related corruption for the reporting period. There is currently no evidence to suggest that senior level officials are involved in narcotics trafficking.

Agreements and Treaties. Jordan remains committed to existing bilateral agreements with Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and Hungary, which have established some form of counternarcotics cooperation. Jordan and the U.S. concluded an extradition treaty in 1995. To date, no drug-related extraditions have taken place.

Cultivation or Production. Authorities vigorously enforce existing laws that prohibit the cultivation or production of narcotics in Jordan.

Drug Flow/Transit. Jordan is a transit country for illicit drugs moving from producing countries to consuming countries. Enforcement officials directly ascribe this drug flow problem to the long, desert borders with Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the West Bank.

Domestic Programs and Demand Reduction. The Ministries of Interior and Health offer treatment and rehabilitation as an alternative to incarceration. Enforcement officials and prosecutors work side-by-side to identify potential candidates for treatment. The Ministry of Education and Health makes presentations on drug abuse to school age youths, conducts awareness briefings, and produces lecture materials on prevention, awareness, and addiction. Health and social development officials expect the number of treatment beds to rise in the coming years. Taking advantage of Jordan's widespread adherence to Islam to advance drug abuse prevention, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Holy Places also directs religious speeches, lessons, and lectures on awareness of drugs and their effects.

Policy Initiatives. While no training was scheduled in 2000, Jordan's training needs are under regular review, and efforts will be made in the future to include Jordan in available drug enforcement training.

Bilateral Cooperation. Jordan's Antinarcotics Bureau has a close working relationship with the DEA through the DEA country attaché in Cyprus. The U.S. does not have a bilateral narcotics agreement with Jordan.

The Road Ahead. U.S. Embassy officials expect continued cooperation with Jordanian enforcement and policy officials on antinarcotics matters, and look forward to Jordan's initiatives and efforts to implement vigorously Jordan's three-year national strategy to combat drugs of abuse.

I. Summary

Kenya is a transit country for heroin and hashish, mostly bound from Southwest Asia for Europe and North America. Heroin transiting Kenya has increased in quality in recent years and is destined increasingly for North America. Although it is difficult to determine the exact impact that heroin transiting Kenya is having on the U.S., it is not yet believed to be significant. Multi-ton hashish shipments also continue to be interdicted in Kenya. Cannabis/marijuana is grown commercially and imported from neighboring countries for the illegal domestic market. There is a small local heroin market. Air passenger profiling and other techniques have helped reduce airborne heroin shipments. Interdiction of narcotics shipments by sea has been less successful, but a program for profiling shipping containers is in effect and has resulted in some seizures. Police broke up a major heroin and hashish smuggling operation in 2000, but the leader of the ring escaped arrest and was subsequently murdered in the Netherlands. Other members of the ring are now being prosecuted. Police also uncovered two cases of heroin smuggling by airline personnel. The Kenyan government has not finalized a long-awaited National Drug Control Master Plan. The Antinarcotics Unit (ANU) of the Kenyan police continues to cooperate well with international and regional antinarcotics officials. Although government officials profess strong support for antinarcotics efforts, the overall program suffers from a lack of resources. In 2000, Kenya ratified the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Kenya is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and has enacted full implementing legislation.

Kenya is a significant transit country for narcotics moving to Europe and a minor producer of narcotics. Heroin and hashish transiting Kenya are having an increasing impact on the United States. Cannabis or marijuana is produced in commercial quantities for the domestic market, while small quantities of cocaine and other drugs originating outside Africa transit Kenya for consumers in southern Africa.

Kenya's sea and air transportation infrastructure, and the network of commercial and family ties that link some Kenyans to Southwest Asia, make Kenya an important transit country for Southwest Asian heroin. In 2000, officials noted a dramatic shift from low-purity brown heroin to higher-purity white heroin, and believe that the higher-purity product is destined principally for the United States. Officials now believe that the United States is at least as important as Europe as a destination for heroin transiting Kenya. It is difficult to estimate the quantities of heroin reaching the United States through Kenya and other points in East Africa, and the impact of this heroin on the U.S. market is therefore also difficult to estimate precisely – although it is not yet believed to be significant. Kenya is also an important transit point for Southwest Asian cannabis resin (hashish), and police have made several multi-ton hashish seizures in recent years. After a hiatus of two years, police seized four kilograms of cocaine in 2000 which was believed to be destined for sale in southern Africa. Although Nairobi serves as a regional financial center, there is no direct evidence that Kenya is a major money-laundering country. Kenya does not produce significant quantities of precursor chemicals.

Policy Initiatives. Kenya has drafted, but not yet adopted or implemented, a national drug control master plan. Assurances from the relevant minister that the plan would be presented to the cabinet in 2000 were not fulfilled. Regional cooperation, however, improved during 2000 with regular meetings and sharing of information between narcotics officials in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Kenyan authorities also improved internal information sharing and operational coordination between various government agencies, airlines and other entities. ANU officers also began a program of outreach to judges and magistrates, educating them on antinarcotics law and the seriousness of narcotics issues. ANU continued to publicize its message effectively through local media. Kenya has no crop substitution or alternative development initiatives for progressive elimination of the cultivation of narcotics.

The ANU remains the focus of Kenyan antinarcotics efforts. The ANU received slightly more resources from the central government in 2000, and continues to expand the number of antinarcotics officers. A key element of the proposed master plan is the identification of a senior civil servant to liaise with donors and coordinate a broad antinarcotics effort, including a much-expanded preventative education campaign. The ANU would then be freer to concentrate on its interdiction mandate.

Accomplishments. The ANU continued its professionalization efforts in 2000. Many ANU officers have undergone training, much of it through the UNDCP and bilateral programs sponsored by the U.S., German, British, Japanese, and other governments. The ANU and the Kenyan Customs Service now have a cadre of officers proficient in profiling and searching suspected drug couriers and containers at airports and seaports. There have been some good results with profiling at airports, although generally for couriers and not major traffickers. Results at seaports have been more modest. The ANU deploys drug-sniffing dogs and took action in 2000 to improve the dog teams' effectiveness. The ANU is building its surveillance capabilities and is able to carry out increasingly sophisticated operations. Inadequate resources, a problem throughout the Kenyan police force, significantly reduce the ANU's operational effectiveness.

The ANU cooperates fully with the United States and other nations on antinarcotics investigations and other operations. Police broke up a major heroin and hashish smuggling operation in 2000, but the leader of the ring escaped arrest and was murdered in the Netherlands while Dutch officials were considering a Kenyan request for assistance in arresting and extraditing the suspect. Other members of the ring are now being prosecuted in Kenya. The ANU also cooperates with other agencies in controlled delivery operations.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Kenya seized 27 kilograms of heroin in 2000 and arrested 65 people on heroin-related charges. This represented the fourth straight year of increase in the amount of heroin seized, and a substantial increase over the 17.5 kilograms seized in 1999. Officials report a sharp shift from lower-quality brown heroin to higher-quality white heroin, and report that much of the white heroin transiting Kenya is destined for the Untied States and not Europe, and that quantities are still believed to be too small to have a significant effect on the U.S. Most couriers arrested in Kenya conceal heroin by swallowing it. The ANU concentrates its antiheroin operations at Kenya's two international airports, but has also begun targeting street users of heroin, particularly in Mombasa.

Kenyan authorities seized 4,715 kilograms of hashish in Mombasa in 2000 in a single raid. The hashish was being processed for shipment to Europe or North America. The incident was the latest in a series of multi-ton hashish seizures on the Kenyan coast. In addition, officials made several smaller seizures. Officials believe Kenyan coastal waters and ports are important transit points for the shipment of hashish from Pakistan or Afghanistan to Europe and North America.

Cocaine seizures in Kenya have fluctuated widely in recent years. Police made four arrests and seized 4.17 kilograms of cocaine in 2000. Police also arrested one person for possession of a prohibited psychotropic drug (Diazepam). Kenyan authorities destroyed 11 acres of cannabis in 2000 and arrested 2895 persons on cannabis-related charges. In 17 cases, the amounts of marijuana seized exceeded 25 kilograms. The ANU continued a program of roadblock operations begun in 1999 in cannabis-producing areas, resulting in the second straight year of significant increase in seizures of cannabis and its derivatives. Officials report increased importation of cannabis from Uganda and Tanzania where the quality is said to be better than Kenya's domestic product. Both domestic and international traffickers in cannabis have begun to process the product before transporting to reduce bulk and eliminate parts of the plant which are not consumed by users.

Kenyan authorities also identified significant drug smuggling by airline personnel who used their preferential access at Nairobi's International Airport to facilitate the transport of Southwest Asian heroin to Europe and/or North America. Police made arrests and are pursuing prosecutions in two cases involving airline personnel. The ANU continued to operate roadblocks for domestic drug trafficking interdiction and is pursuing a variety of policy initiatives for more effective coordination with other government agencies. The ANU has launched an outreach effort to persuade judges and magistrates of the seriousness of antinarcotics offenses and identify ways cases can be handled more effectively. The ANU also disseminates its antinarcotics messages effectively through local media.

Corruption. Corruption remains a significant barrier to effective narcotics enforcement. Despite Kenya's strict narcotics law, which encompasses most forms of narcotics-related corruption, there are continued but unconfirmed reports of public officials being involved in narcotics trafficking. There were no prosecutions of public officials for narcotics-related corruption in 2000. In at least one case, however, police proceeded with a prosecution despite intervention by senior political officials on behalf of the accused. Police frequently complain that the courts are ineffective in handling antinarcotics cases, although it is not clear whether this is a result of corruption, misunderstanding of the law, or simple judicial backlog. The ANU points out, for instance, that 20 foreign suspects charged with heroin offenses have skipped bail in Kenya since 1995. The ANU has urged the courts to tighten up on bail procedures in these cases. More broadly, anticorruption efforts are an integral part of an economic recovery program negotiated with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. These efforts led to significant prosecutions during 2000, but the future of the anticorruption program was not clear at year's end.

Agreements and Treaties. Kenya is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, which it implemented in 1994 with the enactment of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act. Kenya is also a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention and its 1972 Protocol. Kenya's National Assembly ratified the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances in 2000. The 1931 U.S.-U.K. Extradition Treaty remains in force between the United States and Kenya through a 1965 exchange of notes. Under a 1991 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), amended in 1996, the U.S. donated surveillance and computer equipment to the ANU in 1997. The MOU also provides for sharing of narcotics-related information. The United States and Kenya signed another MOU in 2000 to cover the donation of motorcycles, computers and related equipment to the ANU. The three nations of the East African Cooperation (EAC) group (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) continue to consider a draft protocol to enhance regional antinarcotics cooperation.

Cultivation and Production. A significant number of Kenyan farmers illegally grow cannabis or marijuana on a commercial basis for the domestic market. Fairly large-scale cannabis cultivation occurs in the Lake Victoria basin, in the central highlands around Mt. Kenya and along the coast. Foreign tourists export small amounts of Kenyan marijuana. Kenyan officials eradicated about 450 acres of cannabis in 1999, but eradicated only a small amount (11 acres) in 2000. Officials continue to conduct aerial surveys to identify significant cannabis-producing areas. Officials from the ANU are attempting to develop an innovative program of cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service to eradicate cannabis grown in the remote and environmentally sensitive Mt. Kenya region. The Kenyan government has no estimates of the size or yield of the cannabis crops.

Drug Flow/Transit. Kenya is strategically located along a major transit route between Southwest Asian producers of heroin and markets in Europe and North America. In 2000, the amount of heroin seized in Kenya and the number of people arrested increased for the fourth straight year. Heroin normally transits Kenya by air, carried by individual couriers. These couriers were once primarily West Africans. More recently, however, couriers are more commonly South Asian (Indian, Pakistani) or East African (Tanzanian, Ugandan). Once in Kenya, heroin is typically delivered to agents of West African crime syndicates, mainly Nigerian. Kenyan police also discovered two significant cases of airline personnel involved in international heroin trafficking in 2000. Prosecutions are continuing in both cases.

The most significant change in heroin trafficking patterns noted by police in 2000 was a dramatic shift from low-purity brown heroin to high-purity white heroin. Over the last five years, heroin seized in Kenya has shifted from almost 100 percent brown to approximately 80 percent white. Officials attribute the increasing amount of white heroin to increased processing capabilities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Officials also say that the shift from brown to white heroin has been accompanied by a shift from the European to the North American market. According to these officials and other knowledgeable sources, at least half the heroin transiting Kenya is now destined for the United States.

Local, regional and international antinarcotics officials are also paying closer attention to maritime transport of heroin and hashish from Southwest Asia to Kenya and points in East Africa. Maritime shipments through Kenya have long been utilized for multi-ton deliveries of hashish, and police in Mombasa seized 4,715 kilograms in a single raid in 2000. Official reports and anecdotal evidence confirm that small boats often meet with larger vessels anchored off the Kenyan coast and transport drugs and other clandestine material to small landings away from major ports. Customs officials in Pakistan intercepted a maritime shipment of 27 kilograms of heroin to Kenya in 2000. There is also evidence that poor policing along the East African coast makes this region attractive to maritime smugglers. Kenya's near neighbor Somalia has a long coastline and no functioning government. Kenya also has very few maritime interdiction resources. Kenya's police force has a single boat at its disposal, which is not serviceable at present. Two other boats donated to Kenya specifically for narcotics interdiction are also not serviceable, although officials are attempting to have one repaired. Postal and commercial courier services are also used for narcotics shipments through Kenya. In the past, Kenya has been a transit country for methaqualone en route from India to South Africa, mainly entering at the port of Mombassa. There have been no methaqualone (Mandrax) seizures in Kenya, however, for the last three years. Officials have never identified any clandestine airstrips in Kenya used for drug deliveries and believe that no such airstrips exist.

Domestic Programs. Kenya has made little progress in demand reduction, although government officials express increasing concern. In addition to alcohol, illegal cannabis and legal khat are the domestic drugs of choice. Over 200 people died in 2000 as a result of consumption of illegally-brewed alcohol. Heroin abuse is limited generally to members of the economic elite and a slightly broader range of users on the coast. Solvent abuse is widespread (and highly visible) among street children in Nairobi and other urban centers. There are no reliable statistics on domestic consumption of illicit narcotics. Demand reduction efforts are largely limited to publicity campaigns sponsored by private donors and a UNDCP project to bring antidrug education into the schools. Kenyan officials have expressed interest in demand reduction and rehabilitation, but there are no government programs other than occasional speeches to schools and community groups by members of the ANU. There are no special government rehabilitation or drug abuse treatment facilities, but some churches and non-governmental organizations provide limited rehabilitation and treatment programs for solvent-addicted street children.

The principal U.S. counternarcotics objective in Kenya is to interdict the flow of narcotics to the United States. The U.S. seeks to accomplish this objective through law enforcement cooperation, the encouragement of a strong Kenyan government commitment to narcotics interdiction and strengthening Kenyan counternarcotics capabilities.

Bilateral Cooperation and Accomplishments. There was a modest expansion of USG bilateral cooperation with Kenya and surrounding countries on counternarcotics matters in 2000. Operational collaboration with the DEA and other USG enforcement agencies remained excellent. The DEA conducted a basic drug interdiction course in Nairobi in 2000 for 35 counternarcotics officers from six different African countries, including Kenya. The U.S. Department of Defense provided a two-person team of drug-detection dog handlers for a one-month program of assistance to Kenyan authorities at international airports and seaports. Both these programs were successful.

Road Ahead. The U.S. will continue to take advantage of its good relations with Kenyan law enforcement to build professionalism, operational capacity and information sharing. The U.S. will encourage progress on adoption of a national drug control master plan and provide suggestions, where appropriate. Nairobi is also an efficient point for conducting regional training and other regional initiatives and the U.S. will actively seek ways to maximize antinarcotics efforts both in Kenya and throughout East Africa. Perhaps most significantly, the U.S. will work with local, regional and international partners to better understand and combat the flow of international narcotics, particularly heroin, through Kenya to the United States. The United States participates in the Mini-Dublin Group, which has responsibility for coordinating counternarcotics assistance from several Western donors.

I. Summary

Lebanon is not a major illicit drug producing or drug-transit country, although it remains a country of concern to the U.S. The Government of Lebanon (GOL) has been successful in destroying illegal crops that have come to its attention but has yet to find a suitable crop to replace the lost revenues and sustain the livelihoods of local farmers. As a result, there have been isolated incidents of individual farmers cultivating opium and hashish to supplement their incomes. Local cannabis production is insignificant, and there is practically no laboratory processing. Drug trafficking across the Lebanese-Syrian border has diminished substantially as a result of Lebanese and Syrian efforts to deter illicit cultivation and smuggling activity. Lebanon is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

Although the GOL has continued to combat illegal crop cultivation, the GOL has noted that the deteriorating economic situation in the country—especially within the agricultural sector—has resulted in isolated incidents of individual farmers cultivating illicit crops, including hashish and opium. With this illicit cultivation has come a slight increase in the level of violence in the drug producing areas. Although the government has gained control over these areas, occasionally producers of illicit crops have shot at strangers who were perceived to be threatening. One such incident occurred in September when unknown assailants fired a burst of machine-gun fire at a European diplomat driving on a secondary roadway near Hirmil.

In 2000, the Internal Security Forces (ISF)—the law enforcement agency tasked with counternarcotics responsibilities—destroyed opium cultivation in several areas of the Beqa' Valley. However, some plots in remote areas of the valley likely escaped detection. The ISF estimates that approximately 50,000 square meters of land are used for hashish production, and 39,000 square meters are dedicated to poppy production.

Four types of drugs are available in Lebanon—hashish, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other synthetics (ecstasy) although hashish and heroin are no longer available in large quantities. Small quantities continue to be available for local consumption.

Lebanon is not a major transit country and most trafficking is done by amateurs, rather than major drug networks. Marijuana and opium derivatives are trafficked to a modest extent in the region but there is no evidence that illicit narcotics that transit Lebanon reach the U.S. in sufficient amounts to have a significant effect on the U.S. South American cocaine is smuggled into Lebanon primarily via air and sea routes from Europe, Jordan and Syria. Lebanese nationals living in South America in concert with resident Lebanese traffickers often finance these operations. Synthetics are smuggled into Lebanon for use by a wealthy group, which frequents clubs.

There is no significant laboratory processing activity; such activity has practically disappeared due to vigilance of the Syrian and Lebanese governments. Small amounts of precursor chemicals, however, shipped from Lebanon to Turkey via Syria, likely escape detection. Legislation passed in 1998 authorized seizure of assets if a drug trafficking nexus is established in court proceedings. Despite Lebanon's tight banking secrecy laws, authorities seized $260,000 in narcofunds on behalf of INTERPOL's office in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Policy Initiatives. Although there have been no new policy initiatives regarding illicit narcotics over the past year, the GOL continues to support antinarcotics initiatives both unilaterally and in coordination with international organizations and other countries through training and program participation.

Accomplishments. The Lebanese government, in cooperation with Syrian authorities, continues to suppress the illicit cultivation of opium and cannabis in the Beqa' Valley. The ISF remains dedicated to countering the drug trade. In April, ISF Director General Abdel Karim Ibrahim stressed the need to "combat the plague of drugs and root it out." In pursuit of these ends, the ISF continues to carry out its own crop substitution program.

In addition to its unilateral efforts, the GOL works closely with the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) to provide substitute crops for local farmers. Over the past six years, the UNDCP has provided about one third of the funds (an estimated $4.7 million) used in Lebanon's alternative development program. One of the organization's largest programs targets the Baalbak-Hirmil area, where the UNDCP operates six healthcare centers and provides loans and vocational training for farmers. This program is currently operating under temporary emergency funding which will run out after the first quarter of 2001. Farmers in the Beqa' Valley are dissatisfied with crop substitution projects. Given the current agricultural crisis in the country, as development funds fail to appear, more and more impoverished farmers will consider resumption of cultivation of illicit crops as a source of income.

Law Enforcement and Transit Cooperation. Lebanese security services coordinate with their international counterparts and in April 2000, the ISF and the UN Drug Control Program inaugurated a two-week training session of ISF and customs officers to combat drugs and crime in Lebanon. The ISF reports that close governmental cooperation exists with the major transit countries, particularly those in Europe. The Lebanese military also closely coordinates its activities against drug traffickers with its Syrian counterparts. Authorities seized $260,000 in narcofunds on behalf of INTERPOL's office in Copenhagen.

Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. Until recently, Lebanese leaders did not perceive illicit drug use as a significant problem. As a result, the only entity in Lebanon that is engaged in treating and rehabilitating drug users is Oum al-Nour (ON), a Beirut-based NGO. According to the Director General of the organization, government officials are slowly realizing the threat posed by domestic consumption of illicit narcotics, and provide 40 to 50 percent of ON's yearly budget of $666,000. In addition, the organization receives support, mainly political and logistical, from Lebanon's Ministry of Social Affairs. ON estimates that the age of Lebanon's drug addicts has steadily decreased since the end of the country's civil war in 1990, with pre-college and college age youth now being the most vulnerable a