Albania is a transit country for narcotics traffickers moving primarily heroin from Central Asia to destinations around Western Europe. In 2007, seizures of heroin declined slightly, while seizures of other drugs remained high. Cannabis continues to be produced in Albania for markets in Europe, but cultivation has largely moved into the more remote mountain regions of Albania that the government has difficulty accessing. The Government of Albania (GOA), in response to international pressure and with international assistance, is confronting criminal elements more aggressively but continues to be hampered by a lack of resources and endemic corruption. Albania is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

Albania’s ports on the Adriatic and porous land borders, together with poorly financed, poorly managed and under-equipped police, border security and customs controls, make it an attractive stop on the smuggling route for traffickers moving shipments into Western Europe. In addition, marijuana is produced domestically for markets in Europe, the largest being Italy and Greece.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. The GOA took several steps against corruption: it passed the Law on the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest and issued a schedule for the law’s implementation. Civil society monitoring has also increased expectations that corruption will decrease throughout society. The GOA outlawed the circulation of speedboats and several other varieties of water vessels on all of Albania’s territorial waters for a period of three years, which appears to have slowed the movement of drugs by smaller waterborne vessels, particularly to Italy. Albania works with its neighbors bilaterally and in regional initiatives to combat organized crime and trafficking, and it is a participant in the Stability Pact and the Southeastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI). Albania signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Commission in June 2006, and it has since been ratified by twelve European Union member countries. The EU noted in its ratification that Albania “...is still facing serious challenges in tackling corruption and organized crime, achieving full implementation of adopted legislation, improving public administration and fighting trafficking in human beings and drugs.”

Law Enforcement Efforts and Accomplishments. Albanian police continued to make progress in their counternarcotics operations through the increased use of technology, improved police techniques, and an increase in overall capacity. Drug seizure numbers from both Italy and Greece show a marked decline in drugs seized coming from Albania to these countries, which demonstrates the success of Albania’s efforts. Albanian authorities organized major police operations and drug seizure operations throughout the country, particularly in Fier, Tirana, and the ports of Vlora and Durres. International cooperation also increased, including joint operations with Italian, Macedonian, Greek and Turkish authorities. Albanian authorities report that through September 2007, police arrested 315 persons for drug trafficking, and an additional 29 are wanted, similar numbers to the previous year. The police seized 125 kg of heroin, 3256 kg marijuana, and 12kg of cocaine through September. The police also destroyed 177,068 cannabis plants and 847 poppy plants, and confiscated one liter of hashish oil. Although the amount of heroin seized was nearly equal to last year, marijuana seizures declined sharply. The two-fold increase in the number of cannabis plants destroyed is seen as the reason for the decline of Albania’s export of marijuana. This coincides with a noted decrease in the number of drugs seized by Italian authorities, who for the first five months of 2007 had seized only 57kg of heroin coming from Albania and 40 kg of marijuana. The increase in the seizures of cocaine in Albania signals a slight rise in the trafficking of cocaine into Albania both for domestic consumption and for export to Greece and Italy. The rise in the cannabis seizures raises questions about the accuracy of the data in last year’s report, when the government statistics suggested that the numbers from 2005-2006 had declined because of reduced cultivation.

During the first quarter of 2007, a record single seizure of heroin was made through the investigative efforts of the Tirana Anti-Narcotics Sector. Using methods and techniques learned from USG- sponsored training in narcotics investigations, including surveillance and information handling, the Anti-Narcotics Sector of the Tirana Directorate conducted a two-week investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 25 kilograms of heroin, several luxury vehicles, weapons, and cells phones along with the arrest of two major drug traffickers. This seizure was the largest ever recorded by the Albanian Police.

Corruption. Corruption remains a deeply entrenched problem in Albania. Low salaries, social acceptance of graft and Albania’s tightly knit social networks make it difficult to combat corruption among police, magistrates, and customs officials. The GOA does not, as a matter of policy, encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of drugs or illegal substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. As part of the government’s anticorruption pledge, in May 2006, Albania ratified the UN Convention against Corruption. In 2007, the police and judiciary became more active in investigating government officials and law enforcement personnel for corruption. The office of the Prosecutor General reported that the number of criminal proceedings for offences related to illegal activity of public officials (corruption, abuse of duty, etc) increased by 28 percent during 2006. 304 persons were investigated for these offences, and 191 of them were sent to trial, 130 of whom were convicted and sentenced (a 55 percent increase compared to 2005). Of the overall 13 percent increase in cases proceeding to trial, a majority of the increase involved corruption, illegal government activity and trafficking.

The overall increased number of corruption cases suggests that authorities are cracking down on a tendency to “look the other way” to curry favor with criminals. Although these numbers are a significant improvement over 2005 and 2006, Albania continues to lack the judicial independence for truly unbiased proceedings and many cases are never resolved. One bright note is that toward the end of 2007 the government arrested several senior officials from the Tax Administration, and several others from the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, including a Deputy Minister, on charges of corruption.

Agreements and Treaties. Albania is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. An extradition treaty is in force between the United States and Albania. Albania is a party to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) and its protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons. The TOC Convention enhances the bilateral extradition treaty by expanding the list of offenses for which extradition may be granted. The U.S. submitted an extradition request to Albania in 2007 under this Convention with a successful result.

Cultivation and Production. With the exception of cannabis, Albania is not a significant producer of illicit drugs. According to authorities of the Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Narcotics Unit, cannabis is currently the only drug grown and produced in Albania and is typically sold regionally. Although eradication programs co-sponsored by the police and local governments have been credited with substantially reducing cultivation of cannabis, cultivation persists despite these efforts. No labs for the production of synthetic drugs were discovered in 2007, and the trade in synthetic drugs remains virtually non-existent. Albania is not a producer of significant quantities of precursor chemicals. The Law on the Control of Chemicals Used for the Illegal Manufacturing of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances was passed in 2002 and regulates precursor chemicals. Police and customs officials are not trained to recognize likely diversion of dual-use precursor chemicals.

Drug Flow and Transit. The trafficking in narcotics in Albania continues as one of the most lucrative illicit markets. Organized crime groups use Albania as a transit point for drugs and other types of smuggling, due to the country’s strategic location, weak law enforcement and unreformed judicial systems, and porous borders. Albania is a transit point for heroin fromAfghanistan, which is smuggled via the “Balkan Route” of Turkey-Bulgaria-Macedonia-Albania to Italy, Montenegro, Greece, and the rest of Western Europe. A limited, but growing, amount of cocaine is smuggled from South America to Albania, both for domestic consumption and external distribution. Additionally, criminal networks are increasingly using ethnic Albanians to smuggle cocaine and heroin from other countries into Albania, Italy and Greece.

Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction). The Ministry of Health believes that drug use is on the rise, but has no reliable data about drug abuse. According to health professionals, the addict population is as large as 30,000 users and current registered drug use could be just the tip of the iceberg for Albania. The GOA has taken steps to address the problem with a National Drug Demand Reduction Strategy but is hampered by the inadequate public health infrastructure that is ill equipped to treat drug abuse, and public awareness of the problems associated with drug abuse remains low. The Toxicology Center of the Military Hospital is the only facility in Albania equipped to handle overdose cases and is staffed by only three clinical toxicologists. This clinic has seen an average of 2000 patients per year over the past five years, and the number of cases has remained constant over this period. The clinic estimates that around 80 percent of the cases result from addiction to opiates, predominately heroin, and most were intravenous drug users. There were only two NGO’s operating in Albania during 2007, which dealt with drug related cases. Albania has few regulations on the sale of benzodiazepines, which are sold over the counter at local pharmacies, and the domestic abuse of these medications is believed to be rising, though no data is available.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation. The GOA continues to welcome assistance from the United States and Western Europe. The U.S. is intensifying its activities in the areas of law enforcement and legal reform through technical assistance, equipment donations, and training. One of the problems seen in training, however, is deep politization at all levels of government resulting in the absence of a strong civil service class and thus many trainees are subject to reassignment during times of political transition. This was especially acute in changes in the Albanian State Police following the 2007 municipal elections. Between 2005 and mid-2006, almost 90 percent of all Chief Controllers from Albania’s major border crossing points were transferred or removed from their posts and replaced by new personnel. In many cases, newly-assigned personnel had no apparent background, training or understanding of border functions.

The DEA and the FBI have conducted drug training and investigations training. The U.S. Department of Justice ICITAP and OPDAT programs continued their support to the Office of Internal Control at the Ministry of the Interior, the Serious Crimes Court and Serious Crimes Prosecution Office, all with the goal of professionalizing the administration of justice, combating corruption, and strengthening the GOA’s ability to prosecute cases involving organized crime and illicit trafficking. ICITAP continued to offer the Anti-Narcotics and Special Operations Sectors full-time advisory support, an advanced level of training (in cooperation with the FBI) to assist in combating this illicit trade. ICITAP and State/INL continued to provide support for the GOA`s anti-narcotic strategy and efforts through its activities within the International Consortium and the Mini-Dublin Group.

In 2007, OPDAT conducted six regional training programs, funded by State/INL, providing instruction to all judges handling criminal cases on new criminal laws and procedures enacted in 2004, following on its similar training of all prosecutors in 2005-2006. OPDAT and ICITAP worked with the Albanian Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, General Prosecutor’s Office, and State Intelligence Service to form an Economic Crime and Corruption Joint Investigative Unit (JIU) to improve the investigation and prosecution of economic crime and corruption, which formally began operations in September of 2007.

The Witness Protection Sector (witness protection division within the Office of Organized Crime) continues to work with the U.S. and other members of the international community to strengthen the existing witness protection legislation. The Witness Protection Sector has helped to protect a number of witnesses, and witness families, in trafficking and drug related homicide cases. Two high-ranking members of the Albanian Witness Protection Program traveled to Washington DC in July 2006 to attend the First International Symposium on Witness Protection, and participated in the follow-up conference on Witness Protection in Lyon, France in September 2007. With the assistance of OPDAT and ICITAP personnel who accompanied the Albanian officials, progress was made during the Lyon conference in securing regional witness protection agreements with other European countries.

The United States, through State/INL, continues to provide assistance for integrated border management, a key part of improving the security of Albania’s borders, providing specialized equipment, and the installation of the Total Information Management System (TIMS) at border crossing points. Part of the integrated border management initiative, formally approved by the Albanian Council of Ministers on 29 September 2007, included the establishment of an autonomous Border and Migration Department with direct command and control of all borderpolicing resources answerable to one central authority. Other U.S., EU, and international programs include support for customs reform, judicial training and reform, improving cooperation between police and prosecutors, and anticorruption programs.

Albanian law enforcement authorities have provided the Italian police with intelligence that has led to the arrest of drug dealers and organized crime members, as well as the confiscation of heroin in Italy. Cooperation also continues with Italian law enforcement officials to carry out narcotics raids inside Albania.

The Road Ahead. The Albanian government has made the fight against organized crime and trafficking one of its highest priorities. Additionally, the police are taking an increasingly active role in counter narcotics operations. Albania’s desire to enter into both the European Union and NATO continues to push the GOA to implement and enforce reforms, but the fractional nature of Albanian politics and the slow development of Albanian civil society have hampered progress. The U.S., together with the EU and other international partners, will continue to work with the GOA to make progress on fighting illegal drug trafficking, to use law enforcement assistance effectively, and to support legal reform.

Armenia

I. Summary

Armenia is not a major drug-producing country and domestic abuse of drugs is relatively small. While the total amount of interdicted illegal drugs increased in the first nine months of 2007, the original base of cases was not large so the overall number of such incidents remains small. The Government of Armenia (GOAM) recognizes Armenia’s potential as a transit route for international drug trafficking. In an attempt to improve its interdiction ability, the GOAM, together with Georgia and Azerbaijan, is engaged in an ongoing, European Union-funded and UN-implemented Southern Caucasus Anti-Drug (SCAD) Program, launched in 2001. This program provides legislative assistance to promote the use of European standards for drug prosecutions, collection of drug-related statistics, and rehabilitation services to addicts, as well as drug-awareness education. Armenia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

Sitting at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Armenia has the potential to become a transit point for international drug trafficking. Its role in drug trafficking could be exacerbated by lenient criminal penalties, at least compared to other countries in the region. At present, limited transport traffic between Armenia and its neighboring states makes the country a secondary traffic route for drugs. (Armenia currently has closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan.) The Armenian Police Service’s Department to Combat Illegal Drug Trafficking has accumulated a significant database on drug trafficking sources, including routes and the people engaged in trafficking. Scarce financial and human resources, however, limit the Police Service’s effectiveness. Drug abuse does not constitute a serious problem in Armenia, and the local market for illicit narcotics, according to the police, is not large. The most widely abused drugs are cannabis and opium. Heroin and cocaine first appeared in the Armenian drug market in 1996. Since the introduction of heroin the overall trend demonstrates an increase in its abuse, although heroin seizures declined 56 percent in the first nine months of 2007 (332.485 grams) compared to the first nine months of 2006 (762.38 grams). Cocaine seizures increased significantly, from 0.35 grams in the first nine months of 2006 to 172.8 grams in the first nine months of 2007. The total seizure amounts remain small, however, and the overall market demand for heroin and cocaine remains fairly small. The GOAM established an Interdepartmental Committee on Combating Drug Use and Drug Trafficking. Chaired by the Chief of Police, the Committee has not met for more than two years, indicating a failure on the government’s part to effectively coordinate counternarcotics activities among Armenia’s various agencies.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. There has been no new major legislation since the passage, on May 10, 2003, of the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and a 2004 amendment to the criminal code. The latter criminalized the illicit trafficking of drug manufacturing precursors (e.g. substances involved in the processing of heroin) and drug manufacturing equipment. Legislative changes may be enacted soon, however. A measure to expand probable cause in search and seizures and lengthen criminal penalties for engaging in the drug trade is currently working its way through the National Assembly. In addition, the Prosecutor General’s office has proposed that minor drug use be decriminalized. Currently, drug use is a criminal offense that can result in jail time. The Prosecutor General’s proposal would change that and make drug use an administrative offense, resulting in a fine. This legislation is also currently before the National Assembly. Thus, if these two pieces of legislation both eventually passed, Armenia would focus on traffickers, and de-emphasize enforcement against drug users.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Preventive measures to identify and eradicate both wild and illicitly cultivated cannabis and opium poppy continued in 2007. In September and October the police conducted its annual massive search for hemp and opium poppy fields in the countryside, as well as distribution networks in the cities. In August, Armenian law enforcement agencies participated in “Channel,” a joint operation that in 2007 involved Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Finland, China, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also participated in Channel operations with observer status. During this exercise, the Armenian authorities gave special scrutiny to all vehicles crossing the border and all containers arriving at the airport for a one-month period. All Armenian law enforcement agencies (Police, National Security Service, Customs, Border Guards, Police Internal Troops, Ministry of Defense, and the Prosecutor General’s Office) participate in this activity. The GOAM hopes to carry out “Channel” operations at least once more in 2008.

In the first nine months of 2007, the Armenian Police identified 702 violations of the criminal code dealing with illegal drug abuse and/or trafficking, compared to 703 such cases during a similar period in 2006, a statistically insignificant change. The GOAM claims that 330 individuals were involved in the 702 abuse and/or trafficking of illegal drug violations, compared to 394 individuals involved in the 703 cases in 2006. During the first sixth months of 2007, the GOAM seized 34.9 kg of illegal drugs, compared to 20.4 kg for the first six months of 2006, an increase of 42 percent. (Cannabis accounted for the vast majority of these seizures, 89 percent, while opium accounted for eight percent and heroin a little less than one percent.) Police sources attribute the increase in seizures to improved interdiction efforts, backed by recent legislative changes. For example, in 2004 the National Assembly amended the criminal code to make trafficking in small amounts of illicit narcotics a crime. Previously, only larger seizures could result in prosecution. But other factors indicate that the demand for illicit drugs, while small in comparison to other countries, is growing. Armenia has experienced double-digit economic growth for several years. Increased discretionary income among the population, particularly in Yerevan, could be raising the demand for illicit drugs. A World Health Organization (WHO) report claimed there were 9,000 intravenous drug users in 2006, up from 2,000 in 2001. The number of addicts treated at the Armenian Narcological Clinic, a drug treatment center, shows a steady increase: seven addicts sought treatment in 2001, 121 sought treatments in 2006, and 124 sought treatment in the first nine months of 2007. Undoubtedly, these numbers will increase even more if drug use is decriminalized. Moreover, anecdotal evidence indicates that the use of cocaine is more widespread than the seizure figures would indicate (172.8 grams in the first nine months of 2007). It is believed that cocaine is prevalent among the moneyed elite, and that the low interdiction and arrest rate for cocaine does not mean that the rich can hide their drugs better than the poor, but rather their money and influence preclude their arrest and prosecution. The Armenian Interagency Unit of Drug Profiling, funded by SCAD, operated from February 2005 until October of 2006. The unit collected information on passengers at Zvartnots International Airport and shared data on drug traffickers with law enforcement agencies. When the funding from SCAD dried up the GOAM failed to maintain the unit, although the police claim their airport unit works closely with the Border Guards and Customs services to identify traffickers. A new program scheduled to start in 2008, the Regional Integrated Border Management (RIBM) program, will centralize data in one place, giving all law enforcement agencies access to information on drug interdiction efforts.

Corruption. Corruption remains a problem throughout Armenia. While drug traffickers do not appear to have corrupted the system to an appreciable degree, numerous reports indicate that drug users, when found with drugs in their possession, often bribe cops to avoid arrest. Although the GOAM has taken steps to develop an anticorruption program, the political will and the available resources have not been adequate. Since April 2004, there has been an Anti-Corruption Unit, overseen by the Prosecutor General and consisting of eight prosecutors, in the Office of the Armenian Prosecutor General. However, this unit has not shown any significant results. The GOAM does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, nor does it encourage or facilitate the laundering of proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs. No government officials have been reported to have engaged in these activities.

Agreements And Treaties. Armenia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Armenia is also a party to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols on migrant smuggling and trafficking in women and children. Armenia ratified the UN Convention against Corruption in March 2007.

Cultivation And Production. Hemp and opium poppy grow wild in Armenia. Hemp grows mostly in the Ararat Valley, the south-western part of Armenia; poppy grows in the northern part, particularly in the Lake Sevan basin and some mountainous areas.

Drug Flow/Transit. The principal transit countries through which drugs pass before they arrive in Armenia include Iran (heroin and opiates) and Georgia (opiates, cannabis and hashish). Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan remain closed due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but small amounts of opiates and heroin are smuggled to Armenia from Turkey via Georgia. When all of Armenia’s borders open once again, the police predict drug transit will increase significantly. There were also instances of small-scale importation from other countries in the past year. Most of these cases involved passengers arriving at the airport in Yerevan. For example, the synthetic opiate Subutex was found on passengers arriving from countries in Europe, particularly France, which has a large Armenian community. A criminal case was brought against five individuals accused of smuggling Ecstasy on flights from Istanbul. University students from India were charged with the sale of THC tablets brought from home.

Demand Reduction. The majority of Armenian addicts are believed to be using hashish, with heroin the second most abused drug. Armenia has adopted a policy of focusing on prevention of drug abuse through awareness campaigns and treatment of drug abusers. These awareness campaigns are being implemented and manuals are being published under the framework of the SCAD program. The Drug Detoxification Center, part of the Armenian Narcological Clinic and funded by the Ministry of Health, provides drug treatment and counseling.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. The USG continues to work with the Government of Armenia to increase the capacity of Armenian law enforcement. Joint activities include the development of an independent forensic laboratory, the improvement of the law enforcement infrastructure and the establishment of a computer network that will enable Armenian law enforcement offices to access common databases. In 2007, the Department of State, through its Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program, continued to assist the Armenian government. EXBS training and assistance efforts, while aimed at the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, directly enhance Armenia’s ability to control its borders and to interdict all contraband, including narcotics.

The Road Ahead. The USG will continue aiding Armenia in its counternarcotics efforts through the capacity building of Armenian law enforcement and will continue to engage the government on operational drug trafficking issues.

Austria

I. Summary

Austria remains primarily a transit country for illicit drugs and does not produce any illicit substances of its own. As in previous years, foreign criminal groups from former Soviet-bloc countries, Turkey, West Africa, and Central and South America, still dominate the organized drug trafficking scene in the country. Austria’s geographic location along major trans-European drug routes allows criminal groups to bring drugs into the country. Production, cultivation, and trafficking by Austrian nationals, however, remain insignificant. Drug consumption in Austria is well below west European levels and authorities do not consider it to be a severe problem. The number of drug users is currently estimated at around 35,000. Cooperation with U.S. authorities continued to be outstanding during 2007. International cooperation led to significant seizures, frequently involving multiple countries.

In 2007, Austria continued its efforts to intensify regional police cooperation, particularly with regard to the Balkans. Austria also continued its year-long focus on providing policing know-how to countries in Central Asia. Austria is the seat of the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and has been a major donor for several years. Austria has been a party to the 1971 and 1988 UN drug conventions since 1997.

II. Status of Country

Despite a significant increase in drug users in Austria during 2007, the number of drug-related deaths increased only slightly, namely to a total of 197 for all of 2007. Authorities also confirm that the number of deaths from mixed intoxication continues to rise. According to police records, total violations of the Austrian Narcotics Act decreased. The latest prosecution statistics show 24,008 charges, a decrease of 9.39 percent from the previous year’s total. Of these charges 1,317 involved psychotropic substances and 22,960 involved narcotic drugs. Ninety percent of the charges were misdemeanors. Austria’s National Drug Coordinator estimates the number of total drug abusers at around 35,000. The number of users of MDMA (Ecstasy) remained largely stable in 2007. A 2006 Interior Ministry report states that the Ecstasy trafficking, to a large extent, is operated by Austrian rings. Usage of amphetamines rose during the past year. This is a Europe-wide trend as these substances become increasingly available in non-urban areas. According to a 2005 survey commissioned by the Health Ministry, approximately one-fifth of respondents admitted to consumption of an illegal substance at some time during their lives. Most respondents cited cannabis, with Ecstasy and amphetamines in second and third place respectively. Among young adults (ages 19-29), about 30 percent admitted “some experience” with cannabis at least once in their lifetimes. According to the study, 2-4 percent of this age group had already used cocaine, amphetamines, and Ecstasy, while 3 percent had experience with biogenetic drugs.

III. Country Action Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. Throughout 2007, the Austrian government retained its no tolerance policy regarding drug traffickers while continuing a policy of “therapy before punishment” for non-dealing offenders. The Austrian government, heeding EU initiatives for stricter drug policies, introduced bills calling for stricter measures regarding certain types of abuses of the medical narcotics prescription system. According to critics, the controversial legislation would restrict prescriptions and infringe on patient privacy rights through increased surveillance of medical narcotics users. Austrian authorities are also pushing for stricter regulations regarding internet trade of illegal substances. Certain types of surveillance of illegal drug behavior is already possible under a 2005 amendment allowing set up of cameras in high-crime public areas. Critics argue that this only moves the drug scene to other areas. The 2005 law also provides for the establishment of a “protection zone” around schools and retirement centers from which police may ban suspected drug dealers for up to thirty days.

During its EU presidency (January-July 2006), Austria initiated the EU’s “Partnership for Security,” with over fifty countries and organizations, including the U.S. and Russia, as participants. It reflects Austria’s strong, year-long focus on the Balkans. One element of this strategy is the “Police Cooperation Convention for Southeastern Europe,” which Austria co-signed. In May 2007, Austria headed the follow-up conference entitled “Drug Policing Balkans,” where high-level officials, including Embassy Vienna’s DEA representative, discussed drug smuggling along the Balkan route. In 2007, Austria held the co-chair for the Balkans region within the Dublin Group’s Regional Chair system. At the EU level, the GOA is also pushing for a European Narcotics Institute (European drug academy) styled along the lines of the U.S. NIDA. Austria, however, remains critical of the EU Drug Action Plan saying that it contains no evaluation of harm reduction measures. Throughout 2007, Austria maintained its lead role within the Central Asian Border Security Initiative (CABSI) and the Vienna Initiative on Central Asia (VICA). Vienna is the seat of the UN’s drug assistance agency, the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Austria contributed EUR 550,000 ($790,000) to this organization in 2007. In past years, Austria has been working with the UNODC, the EU, and Iran to establish border control checkpoints along the Afghan-Iranian border in order to prevent drug trafficking, particularly in opiates. Within the UNODC, Austria also participates in crop monitoring and alternative development plans in Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, and Honduras.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Comprehensive seizure statistics for the previous year show an increase in seizures of cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, and psychotropic substances, and a decrease in Ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin. Experts stress that the degree of purity and concentration of Ecstasy, speed, and other illegal substances has become increasingly volatile, representing a growing risk factor. This is due, in large part, to the advanced technology used in drug laboratories. The labs use precursors, such as acetic anhydride and potassium permanganate, to produce illicit drugs. The latest drug report from the Interior Ministry states that Austria’s Precursor Monitoring Unit dealt with 157 cases in relation to precursors and clandestine drug laboratories—which represent a hardly noticeable decrease of 4.27 percent—compared to 164 cases in 2005. In2007, two illegal drug laboratories were raided in Austria. A special training course on dismantling drug labs was held in cooperation with EUROPOL. The total street value of illicit drugs remained largely unchanged. One gram of cannabis sold for EUR 7.00 ($10); one gram of heroin for EUR 80.00 ($113); and one gram of cocaine for EUR 90.00 ($127). Amphetamines sold for EUR 20.00 ($28) per gram and LSD for EUR 30.00 ($43) per gram.

Corruption. Austria has been a party to the OECD anti-bribery convention since 1999 and to the UN Corruption Convention since January 2006. The GOA’s public corruption laws recognize and punish the abuse of power by a public official. An amendment expected to become effective January 1, 2008 will substantially increase penalties for bribery and abuse of office offenses. As of fall 2007, there were no corruption cases pending involving bribery of foreign public officials. In October 2007, a court found a senior Vienna police official guilty of minor bribery charges, which are not drug related. As a matter of government policy, the GOA does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.

Agreements and Treaties. Austria is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Austria is a party to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol against Trafficking in Persons. An extradition treaty and mutual legal assistance treaty are in force between the U.S. and Austria.

Cultivation. Production of illicit drugs in Austria continued to be marginal in 2007. The Interior Ministry’s annual report on drug-related crime noted a rise in private, indoor-grown, high-quality cannabis. Austria recorded no domestic cultivation of coca or opium in 2007.

Drug Flow/Transit. The Interior Ministry’s drug report stresses that Austria is not a source country for illicit drugs, but remains a transit country. According to DEA’s quarterly trafficking report, illicit drug trade by Austrian nationals is negligible. Foreign criminal groups (e.g. Turks, Russians, Albanians, Bulgarians, and citizens of the former Yugoslavia) carry out organized drug trafficking in Austria. The Balkan route is a particularly problematic entrance into the country. In addition to opiates, 90 percent of cocaine enters Austria by the Balkan Route. The illicit trade increasingly relies on Central and East European airports, including Vienna’s Schwechat International Airport. Austrian authorities note that smuggling cocaine via luggage is on the decline, while body-carry and parcel shipments are on the rise. A continuing trend in Austria is for South African narcotics smugglers to use Caucasian women from former Soviet-bloc countries to smuggle drugs into Austria. The trafficking of Ecstasy products decreased slightly from previous years. However, GOA reports a noticeable increase of Austria being used as a transit country for Ecstasy coming from the Netherlands to the Balkans. Illicit trade in amphetamines and trading in cocaine increased. Criminal groups from Poland and Hungary were primarily responsible for this trade.

Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. Austrian authorities and the public generally view drug addiction as a disease rather than a crime. This is reflected in relatively liberal drug legislation and in court decisions. The government remains committed to measures to prevent the social marginalization of drug addicts. Federal guidelines ensure minimum quality standards for drug treatment facilities. GOA’s demand reduction program emphasizes primary prevention, drug treatment, counseling, and harm reduction measures, such as needle exchange programs. Ongoing challenges in demand reduction are the need for psychological care for drug victims and greater attention to older victims and immigrants.

Primary intervention starts at the pre-school level and continues through secondary school, apprenticeship institutions, and out-of-school youth programs. The government and local authorities routinely sponsor educational campaigns both within and outside of the classroom. Overall, youths in danger of addiction are primary targets of new treatment and care policies. Austria has syringe exchange programs in place for HIV and hepatitis prevention. Hepatitis B and C is commonplace among intravenous drug users at 59 percent. Policies toward greater diversification in substitution treatment (methadone, prolonged-action morphine, and buprenorphine) continued. Austria currently has approximately 8,000 people in rehabilitation programs. The government, however, remains skeptical regarding heroin substitution programs, arguing that there are better solutions.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. Cooperation between Austrian and U.S. authorities continued to be excellent in 2007. Several bilateral efforts exemplified this cooperation, including DEA support of Austria’s Drug Policing Balkans initiative. Austrian Interior Ministry officials continued to consult the FBI, DEA, and DHS on how to update criminal investigation structures. In October 2007, the U.S. Embassy’s LEGAT FBI Attaché spoke at a gathering of top-level Austrian and international security experts in Salzburg. Also in October 2007, Austrian Interior Minister, Guenther Platter, traveled to the U.S. to discuss, inter alia, drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime with USG experts. The U.S. Embassy also regularly sponsors speaking tours of U.S. counternarcotics experts in Austria.

The Road Ahead. The U.S. will continue to support Austrian efforts to create more effective tools for law enforcement. The U.S. will work closely with Austria within the framework of U.S.-EU initiatives, the UN, and the OSCE. The U.S. priority will remain the promotion of a better understanding of U.S. drug policy among Austrian officials.

Azerbaijan

I. Summary

Azerbaijan is located along a drug transit route running from Afghanistan and Central Asia to Western Europe, and from Iran to Russia and Western Europe. Domestic consumption and cultivation of narcotics as well as seizures have increased since 2006-2007. The United States has funded counternarcotics assistance to Azerbaijan through the FREEDOM Support Act since 2002. Azerbaijan is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

Azerbaijan’s main narcotics problem is the transit of drugs through its territory, but domestic consumption in growing. Azerbaijan emerged as a narcotics transit route in the 1990s because of the disruption of the “Balkan Route” due to the wars in and among the countries of the former Yugoslavia. According to the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ), the majority of narcotics transiting Azerbaijan originates in Afghanistan and follows one of four primary routes to Western Europe and to Russia. Azerbaijan shares a 380 mile (611 km) frontier with Iran, and its border control forces are insufficiently trained and equipped to patrol it effectively. Iranian and other traffickers are exploiting this situation. The most widely abused drugs in Azerbaijan are opiates—especially heroin—licit medicines, hemp, Ecstasy, hashish, cocaine and LSD. Domestic consumption continues to grow with the official GOAJ estimate of drug addicts reaching 18,000-20,000 persons. Unofficial figures are estimated at approximately 180,000 to 200,000, the majority of which is heroin addicts. Students are thought to be a large share of total drug abusers at 30-35 percent. The majority of heroin users is concentrated in major cities and in the Lankaran District (64.6 percent), which borders Iran. Drug use among young women has been rising.

II. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. The GOAJ continued to refine its strategy to combat drug transit and usage in Azerbaijan. The GOAJ bolstered its ability to collect and analyze drug-related intelligence, resulting in more productive investigations against narcotics traffickers. The GOAJ assumed the chairmanship of GUAM (Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova) in 2007 and has pushed sharing of counternarcotics information through the GUAM countries Virtual Law Enforcement Center (VLEC) in Baku. The VLEC was established with USG assistance. The center provides an encrypted information system that allows member states’ law-enforcement agencies to share information and coordinate their efforts against terrorism, narcotics trafficking, small arms, and trafficking in persons. The extent to which information is shared among GUAM member states through the VLEC appears limited. In 2007 the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) increased its cooperation with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and is developing strategies to further strengthen regional cooperation.

Law Enforcement Efforts. According to Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) information from January-October 2007, the MIA confiscated 107.2 kg of opium, 121 kg of marijuana, 67.6 kg of hashish, 58 kg of heroin and 1.1 grams of cocaine. The MIA statistics report that 95.3 percent of drug related crimes were solved. The MIA reported that one in seven crimes in Azerbaijan was related to the illegal trade in narcotics. During the reporting period, there was a 6.7 percent increase in crimes related to the illegal trafficking of narcotics and an 11.4 percent increase in crimes related to the sale of narcotics. Of the 1,659 people who were prosecuted for drug-related crimes in Azerbaijan, 95.5 percent were described as able bodied, unemployed people who were not in school, 28.8 percent had a criminal record, 3.6 percent were women and 0.18 percent were underage children.

Corruption. As a matter of government policy, Azerbaijan does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions; however, corruption remains a significant problem in Azerbaijan and permeates the entire society. Several Azerbaijani prosecutors have attended DOJ-sponsored training courses on investigating trans-border crimes, implementing the Azerbaijani criminal code, and developing courtroom skills such as preparing courtroom evidence and cross examining witnesses. These broad-based skills may aid in the prosecution of drug-related cases and limit the scope of corruption.

Agreements and Treaties. Azerbaijan is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by its 1972 Protocol. Azerbaijan also is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption, and to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling and illegal manufacturing and trafficking in firearms.

Cultivation and Production. Azerbaijan’s problem with narcotics largely stems from its role as a transit state, rather than as a significant drug cultivation site. Cannabis and poppy are cultivated illegally, mostly in southern Azerbaijan, but to a modest extent.

Drug Flow/Transit. Opiates originating in Afghanistan transit to Azerbaijan from Iran, or from Central Asia across the Caspian Sea. Drugs are also smuggled through Azerbaijan to Russia, then on to Central and Western Europe. Azerbaijan cooperates with Black Sea and Caspian Sea littoral states in tracking and interdicting narcotics shipments, especially morphine base and heroin. Caspian Sea cooperation includes efforts to interdict narcotics transported across the Caspian Sea by ferry. Law enforcement officials report that they have received good cooperation from Russia.

Domestic Programs. In 2007, Azerbaijan continued the anti-narcotics public service announcements begun in the summer of 2006, about the dangers of drug usage. The advertisements were aimed at a younger audience and were displayed in downtown Baku, in kiosks and on billboards.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. In 2007, the U.S. Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) office continued to assist the Azerbaijan State Border Service (SBS) and the State Customs Committee (SCC). EXBS training and assistance efforts, while aimed at the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, directly enhance Azerbaijan’s ability to control its borders and to interdict all contraband, including narcotics. During 2007, EXBS sponsored border control and management courses for the SBS and SCC officers. Some of these courses provided participants with real-time, hands-on inspections and border control tactics at sea and in the field. Others improved the Border Guard’s control of Azerbaijan’s southern border, as well as the ability of SCC officers to detect contraband. The U.S. donation of search tools and related equipment improved the Customs Contraband Teams’ detection capabilities. A 2006 U.S. Customs and Border Protection assessment of Border Guard operations on the Iranian border prioritized the direction of U.S. assistance. The U.S. contribution of fencing, and construction materials to rebuild watchtowers, and vehicles significantly enhanced the Border Guards’ ability to hamper illegal penetrations of Azerbaijan’s southern border. During 2006, DTRA and EXBS helped equip a maritime base near Azerbaijan’s southern border in Astara. The base will host two patrol boats and two fast response boats which were delivered in early 2007. The facility will also be used for extended patrols by larger vessels from Baku. In August 2007, the Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (DOJ/ICITAP) provided a three-week high-risk entry course with mass spectrometer analysis and drug training. This capacity has already been put into use by the Minster of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health. A Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement is now in place.

The Road Ahead. The U.S. and Azerbaijan will continue to expand their efforts to conduct law enforcement assistance programs in Azerbaijan. While our assistance programs in Azerbaijan proper are strong, we have only a small window into what is happening in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan or into activities in Nagorno Karabakh and the occupied territories. The increase in government revenues from the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline has resulted in a significant inflow of cash into a developing economy with a high number of unemployed and underemployed young people; Azerbaijan’s increasing wealth might well lead to increasing drug consumption under these circumstances. There are signs that an increased proportion of the budget of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is going into counternarcotics operations and seizures. Border control efforts have resulted in a few violent confrontations and increased causalities amongst security personnel and drug traffickers.

Belarus

I. Summary

Belarus continues to grow in importance as a drug-transit country and local drug use and drug-related crime rates continue to increase. Belarus does not mass-produce drugs for export, though it may be a source of precursor chemicals. The domestic drug market has shifted in recent years from plant-based narcotics to synthetic drugs. Illegal methadone use has increased and has begun to displace heroin. With help from other governments and NGOs, Belarus is improving its capabilities and legal framework to combat drug abuse and trafficking. However, corruption, lack of resources, and shortages of equipment continue to hinder progress. Belarus cooperates closely with the joint UNDP-European Union program BUMAD (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova Anti-Drug Program), which works to reduce trafficking of drugs into the European Union and to bring those countries’ drug policies in line with European standards. The program, which launched the final stage of its three-part project in February, seeks to develop systems of prevention and monitoring, improve the legal framework, and provide training and equipment. Belarus is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

Because of its porous borders and good transportation infrastructure, Belarus is increasingly used as a transit point for drug traffic. Belarus’ customs union with Russia and the resultant lack of border controls between those two countries make drug transit easier. The potential loosening of customs controls among members of the Eurasian Economic Community (Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) could make the problem worse. There is no evidence of large-scale drug production in Belarus though synthetic drug production is growing. According to law enforcement officials in neighboring countries, Belarus is a source of precursor chemicals.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. While drug production and cultivation are not major problems for Belarus, drug abuse prevention, treatment, and transit issues must be addressed before Belarus will be in full compliance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In 2004, BUMAD presented the Belarusian government with a series of recommendations to bring the country’s legal framework into full compliance with drug-related UN conventions. Though the government did implement many of the suggestions, several remain outstanding. Authorities still lack sufficient funding and training, and need to improve treatment, rehabilitation and information collection practices. Last year, the Belarusian government incorporated drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation into its overall national 2006-2010 Anti-Crime Program, under which the Committee for State Security (BKGB), the State Customs Committee, and the Ministries of the Interior, Health, and Foreign Affairs will conduct their own programs. While interagency rivalry inhibits cooperation, Belarus has made some strides over the past year in restructuring government agencies to enhance information gathering on narcotics transit and distribution. To better coordinate activities, authorities have approved an order to establish a BUMAD-supported National Drug Observatory at the Grodno State Medical University to act as a clearinghouse for drug-related information gathering efforts for all 19 government agencies involved in counternarcotics work or that monitor and report on national drug trends. While the authorities have approved the plan, they have yet to procure funding.

The Belarusian parliament is currently considering draft legislation to stiffen punishment for trade in narcotics and to monitor more strictly the importation and sale of precursor chemicals. Measures include criminalizing attempts to sow and grow plants and mushrooms that contain narcotic substances, increasing penalties for large-scale sales of narcotics, and increasing sentences for sales of illicit drugs at educational, military, and healthcare institutions. The law also will create a new class of “especially serious” drugs that will carry a stricter sentence than currently mandated. Parliament has passed this draft in its first reading, but it has not yet been passed into law.

Belarus has taken steps to increase border security. Border authorities are currently working on a joint project with the EC and UNDP called the Bombel Program, designed to raise Belarusian border management to EU standards. Phase one was completed this year. It focused on increasing border security through training for border guards in EU standard practices, continued development of an automated passport system, and modernization of the Belarusian Border Troops’ dog breeding center. Phase two, currently under way, focuses on improving migration control. Last year, the CIS Council of Border Troops’ Commanders established a common database for coordinating border security, and Belarus signed commitments with other Collective Security Treaty Organization member states for future joint counternarcotics activities.

Law Enforcement Efforts. According to official statistics, over 9,000 people have been convicted for drug-related crimes during the last three years, 41 percent of whom were under the age of 25. As of mid-2007, there were 2,281 people imprisoned for drug-related crimes, 444 of whom were women. Meanwhile, authorities seized over 500 kg of drugs so far this year. Street prices for most drugs have leveled off during the past year, though the price of ecstasy rose from $15 to $20 per dose, and the price of amphetamines rose from $25 to $30 per gram. In a report presented in September 2006, the State Border Troops’ Committee conceded that official seizure figures do not reflect the reality of the problem. Government officials admit that enforcement efforts suffer from insufficient communication and coordination and from inter-agency rivalries. Authorities in the Gomel region destroyed thirty large hemp plantations during the first half of 2007, but they acknowledge that the area in the Chernobyl-evacuated south-east corner of the country is difficult to monitor. Police discovered two amphetamine labs in Minsk and one in Vitebsk. Illicit use of diverted methadone has increased dramatically in recent years, with seizures increasing 14-fold in the past eight years. Drugs seized from January 1 to July 1 (in kg) are as follows: Poppy Straw and Marijuana (510); Raw Opium (30.4); Heroin (0.1); Amphetamine/Methamphetamine (2.1); Acetylated Opium (liquid heroin) (3.3); Hashish (3.7); Cocaine (0.2); LSD and other hallucinogens (0.3); Methadone (0.2). During the first ten months of 2007, The Ministry of Internal Affairs registered 3,712 crimes relating to drug production, trafficking, and usage.

Corruption. As a matter of government policy, Belarus does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. No senior officials of the government are known to engage in, encourage, or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of such drugs, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. In July 2006, President Lukashenko signed an anticorruption law to comply with the Council of Europe’s 1999 Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, which Belarus ratified in 2004. Belarus also ratified the Council of Europe’s 1999 Civil Law Convention on Corruption in December 2005, and is considering a series of corresponding amendments on corruption. In July, Lukashenko issued an edict calling for the formation of special anti-corruption and anti-organized crime departments in the KGB, prosecutor’s offices, and police stations. Nevertheless, corruption remains a serious problem among border and customs officials and makes interdiction of narcotics difficult.

Agreements and Treaties. Belarus is a party to the following UN conventions: the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the UN Convention against Corruption, and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons and manufacturing and trafficking in illegal firearms. Belarus is also a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and Uzbekistan, and conducts joint counternarcotics operations with those countries. In May, Belarus signed an agreement with Latvia outlining a plan to create a legal framework for the exchange of information, experience, research findings, and experts to fight cross-border crime. In 2005, President Lukashenko issued an edict that greatly restricted all foreign technical assistance, making it extremely difficult to introduce and utilize international aid in Belarus. There have also been attempts by the Belarusian government to tax foreign aid, despite international agreements. These problems have slowed the implementation of international assistance programs.

Cultivation/Production. There is no confirmed widespread illicit drug cultivation or production in Belarus. Conviction for growing narcotic plants for the purpose of selling can result in prison sentences of as long as 15 years. Nevertheless, some cultivation and production has been detected. Precursor chemicals continue to be imported in large volumes, but the current legal structure makes it difficult to prevent their distribution. New legislation currently debated in Parliament will require proof of purpose and destination for all such chemicals entering the country. There also has been a significant increase in poppy seed imports used for extraction of opium. Due to increased demand, price per kilo has risen from $3 to $35. As a result, authorities are considering restricting importation of poppy seeds. Police have reportedly discovered eight illicit methadone production labs in 2007, indicating a changing trend from importation to local production. Currently in Belarus, 1,990 entities have licenses for manufacturing and storage of precursors and 15,000 employees have access to the substances.

Drug Flow/Transit. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, heroin enters Belarus from Afghanistan via Central Asia and Russia. Poppy straw, opium, and marijuana enter through Ukraine; ecstasy and amphetamines from Poland and Lithuania; and methadone and 3-methyl-phentanyl from Russia. In February, the State Border Troops Committee acknowledged increased drug smuggling activities along the Ukrainian border, and admitted that the border control infrastructure there is particularly weak. In October, the Committee announced plans to tighten security there. Officials stated that it is the only border where arms are frequently needed to stop smugglers. According to their customs union agreement, Belarusian border guards are not deployed on the border with Russia, which is policed by Russian forces. Over 22 million persons and 7 million vehicles cross Belarusian borders annually. According to official sources, customs officers currently inspect only five percent of all inbound freight, and border guards often lack the training and equipment to conduct effective searches. In an effort to address these problems, Belarus has been working with BUMAD and Bombel Programs to obtain necessary training and equipment.

Demand Reduction. Belarusian authorities have begun to recognize the growing domestic demand problem, particularly among young people. In March, the Ministry of Health’s chief addiction officer Vladimir Maksimchuk announced that the number of registered drug users in the country increased fivefold over the past ten years, to 6,427, but acknowledged that the actual number of users was much higher. Oleg Pekarsky, the head of the Interior Ministry’s Department for Drug Control and Prevention of Human Trafficking in February estimated the number to be as high as 60,000. Drug use is illegal and highly stigmatized in society. Drug addicts often avoid seeking treatment, fearing adverse consequences at work, school, and in society if their addiction becomes known. Prevention programs in schools remain under-funded. In February 2005, BUMAD and the GOB launched Minsk-based counternarcotics youth information campaign, “You and Me against Drugs,” but the program ended later that year. BUMAD sponsored a Belarusian chapter of the NGO Mothers Against Drugs (MAD), but the government withdrew its registration, and all MAD offices closed in 2006. The government generally treats drug addicts in psychiatric hospitals, either as a result of court remand or self-enrollment, or in prisons and emphasizes detoxification and stabilization over rehabilitation. In September, the Ministry of Health opened a methadone substitution clinic in Gomel. The program concentrates on HIV-positive drug users and currently has seven people enrolled. The ministry plans to expand the group to 15, and to open an additional center in Minsk in 2008, but there is currently no legislation calling for the expansion of this or any other rehabilitation programs. The government runs only two detoxification centers in Belarus—one in Grodno and one in Minsk—but they offer only three-month programs. There are several small-scale NGO-run rehabilitation centers in various areas of Belarus.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. The USG has not provided counternarcotics assistance to the GOB since February 1997. In 2005, President Lukashenko issued an edict that greatly restricted all foreign technical assistance, making it extremely difficult to introduce and utilize international aid in Belarus. There have also been attempts by the Belarusian government to tax foreign aid, despite international agreements. These problems have slowed the implementation of international assistance programs. For example, authorities delayed registration of the second stage of BUMAD’s work and consequently postponed the launch of BUMAD-sponsored programs for legal assistance, border control, drug intelligence, community policing, drug observatories, and NGO networking. Since BUMAD’s 2006 regional seminar in Minsk where Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergey Martynov acknowledged the need for more outside aid, the organization has reported that authorities have been more responsive to foreign law-enforcement assistance programs.

The Road Ahead. The USG will continue to encourage Belarusian authorities to enforce their counternarcotics laws.

Belgium

I. Summary

Belgium is not a major market for illicit drugs nor is it a major producer of illicit drugs or chemical precursors used for the production of illicit drugs. However, Belgium is a crucial transit point for a variety of illegal drugs, most significantly, cocaine and heroin. In the past few years Belgium has been a significant supplier of Ecstasy to the U.S. and other parts of the world, but in recent years, due to concentrated police efforts and a decrease in the social trend of Ecstasy consumption, production and trafficking of Ecstasy have been reduced greatly. As a result of Belgium’s geographic location, efficient transportation networks and access to two major ports, (Antwerp, Belgium and Rotterdam, the Netherlands) it plays a significant role in the transshipment of cocaine from South America to Europe. Methods of shipment vary but most drugs seized have been in cargo freight and while being moved by couriers using air transportation. The majority of couriers—73 percent this past year—are of African descent and have been coming through West Africa and then arriving in Belgium by plane or train; this is a major change from previous years. This signifies that Colombian drug cartels are stockpiling the cocaine in Africa and using their established African operations to move the drugs to Europe. As has been the case for the past 3 years, usage and trafficking of cocaine in Belgium continued to increase in 2007. In 2005, with respect to the Zaventem Airport, 343 kg of cocaine were seized; this rose to 681 kg in 2006. To date in 2007 (September), cocaine seizures have already surpassed 600 kg. On the other hand, Ecstasy and amphetamine seizures have been decreasing over the past three years, indicating a decline in the overall usage and trafficking of these drugs.

Heroin seizures are up in comparison with the past several years, but the amount of the increase is too low to draw any definite conclusions. Belgian Federal Police and DEA officials estimate approximately 30 tons of heroin pass through the Benelux countries en route to the Netherlands and the U.K. Belgium consumes around 4 tons of heroin, which is mostly traceable to drug tourism from neighboring countries. Officials say it is difficult to have an impact on the heroin trade because of the difficulty in penetrating the Turkish trafficking groups.

Belgium is a preferred transit point for trafficking drugs because of its central location and efficient transportation system. Belgian authorities take a proactive approach in interdicting drug shipments and cooperate with the U.S. and other foreign countries to help uncover distribution rings. However, at times fighting the drug trafficking problem in Belgium is difficult because of a lack of funds and insufficient man power in the police force. Despite this, Belgian authorities continue to combat the production and trafficking of illicit drugs within their borders, using methods like canine checks and aerial surveillance.

Within the past year, Belgium has also become an important transshipment point for illegal ephedrine, used as a chemical precursor to methamphetamine, destined for the United States via Mexico. It is generally neither manufactured in, nor destined for Belgium. In instances where ephedrine shipping is discovered the Belgians cooperate by executing controlled deliveries to the destinations. This evidence of increased ephedrine shipping is seen throughout Europe due to stricter laws in the U.S. on methamphetamines.

Belgium is party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, and is part of the Dublin Group of countries concerned with combating narcotics trafficking.

II. Status of Country

Belgium produces amphetamine type stimulants and Ecstasy as well as cannabis and hashish. Seizures of amphetamine type stimulants and Ecstasy are down as compared to the last several years suggesting a decrease in production. Additionally, Belgium’s production of these synthetic drugs is relatively small compared to the Netherlands, which historically produced four times the amount of Ecstasy. Belgium still remains a key transit point for illicit drugs, mainly cocaine and heroin, bound for The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other points in Western Europe. However, in the majority of large cocaine shipments, the end destination is the Netherlands, where Colombian groups continue to dominate drug trafficking. In the past, Israeli groups controlled most of the Ecstasy production and shipping to the United States, but these organized crime groups have been disrupted by enforcement measures and their influence has diminished.

Turkish groups control most of the heroin trafficked in Belgium. This heroin is principally shipped through Belgium and the Netherlands to the United Kingdom. Increased seizures indicate the growing demand in Belgium. Recently, Belgian authorities arrested two Turks with approximately 300 kg of heroin, alone which surpasses last year’s total amount of heroin seized in Belgium. Authorities find it difficult to penetrate Turkish trafficking groups responsible for heroin shipping and trafficking because of the language barrier and Turkish criminal groups’ reluctance to work with non-Turkish ethnicities.

Hashish and cannabis remain the most widely distributed and used illicit drugs in Belgium. Although the bulk of the cannabis consumed in Belgium is produced in Morocco, domestic cultivation continues to increase.

Illegal ephedrine shipping through Belgium is on the rise. The country manufactures ephedrine to a very limited extent, but it is not a final destination for illegal shipments. The ephedrine market is mainly controlled by Mexicans who purchase both legal (i.e., cold medicine, dietary supplements) and illegal ephedrine, and ship it to Mexico, where it is used to produce methamphetamine for distribution in the United States. Since most forms of ephedrine are strictly regulated in the United States, Belgium and other Western European countries have seen an increase in transshipments of ephedrine and other methamphetamine precursors.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. Since 2004 Belgium has implemented a National Security Plan focused on reducing drug trafficking within the country. This National Security Plan, for 2004-2007, cites cocaine and heroin as the top, large-scale drug trafficking problems. The Plan concentrates on reducing cocaine shipments and clandestine drug laboratories, breaking up criminal organizations active in the distribution of narcotics, and halting the rise of drug tourism to Belgium, which has become an increasingly common phenomenon in the larger cities. Due to the recent escalation of regional governmental disputes, a replacement governing body has not been established in Belgium and steps to draft another security plan have not been completed. Also, whether or not the National Security Plan of 2004-2007 actually fulfilled its purpose or reached the desired outcome is unknown because a formal assessment has not yet been made.

Belgium is a major backer for COSPOL (Comprehensive Operational Strategic Planning for the Police), which is a new methodology for multinational police cooperation. It is a program that was created for the Police Chiefs Task Force functioning under direction of the EU. At the most recent COSPOL meeting, Belgian and other EU Police Officials discussed plans to share information in order to create a database of places indicating where illicit lab equipment and drug producing chemicals are shipped and manufactured. The database also includes information on the trade in drug related chemicals and laboratory materials.

Belgium also participates in “Drugwatch”, a non-profit information network and advocacy organization that provides policymakers, media and the public with current narcotics information. In cooperation with “Drugwatch”, Belgium is participating in a program focused on monitoring the internet to identify narcotic sale and production in Belgium.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office, established in 2002, works to centralize and facilitate mutual legal assistance requests on drug trafficking investigations and prosecutions. Federal authorities have also noted a sharp rise in the establishment of cannabis plantations.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Belgian law enforcement authorities actively investigate individuals and organizations involved in illegal narcotics trafficking. In keeping with Belgium’s drug control strategy, efforts are focused on combating synthetic drugs, heroin and cocaine, and more recently, cannabis. Belgian authorities continue to cooperate closely and effectively with DEA officials stationed in Brussels. At Brussels’ Zaventem International Airport, non-uniformed personnel of Belgium’s police force search for drug couriers and have become increasingly proficient. This year, Federal Officers have detained 116 couriers and 46 parcels carrying drugs. Additionally, the National Security Plan for 2004-2007 utilizes canine and aerial apprehension strategies on the local and federal levels to help fight illicit drug production and shipment in Belgium. The Canine Support Service (DSCH) has trained four dog teams to search for drugs. Dog teams are used mostly in airports and train stations, while the Aerial Support Service (DSAS) has made a concerted effort to increase the number of hours in the sky in an attempt to detect drug laboratories across the nation. A new initiative was taken this past year to set up a database for European airports. It will be used to transfer narcotic related information to airports throughout Europe in order to better cooperate with foreign police forces and governments.

In the past year (2007), Belgian authorities have discovered six clandestine laboratories, three used for Ecstasy production, two for amphetamines and one for LSD. These seizures bring the number of synthetic drug laboratories seized since 1999 to 62. In 2007 to date, Belgian authorities seized approximately 2,462 kg of cocaine, 522 kg of heroin, 406,356 MDMA/ Ecstasy pills, 252 kg of amphetamines, 58,503 kg of hashish/marijuana/cannabis, and 1,110 kg of khat.

Corruption. The Belgian government does not encourage nor does it facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. Money laundering has been illegal in Belgium since 1993, and the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) (CTIF-CFI) is continually active in efforts to investigate money laundering. No senior official of the Belgian government engages in, encourages or facilitates the illicit production or distribution of such drugs or substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. Corruption is not judged a problem within the narcotics units of the law enforcement agencies. Legal measures exist to combat and punish corruption.

Agreements and Treaties. Belgium is party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Belgium also is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons, and illegal manufacturing and trafficking of firearms. The United States and Belgium have an extradition treaty and a Mutual Legal Assistance treaty (MLAT). Under a bilateral agreement with the United States as part of the U.S. Container Security Initiative (CSI), U.S. Customs officials are stationed at the Port of Antwerp to serve as observers and advisors to Belgian Customs inspectors on U.S.-bound sea freight shipments. Belgium also has an MOU with the USG to carry U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDET) on Belgium Navy vessels in the Caribbean Sea.

Cultivation/Production. Belgium’s role as a transit point for major drug shipments, particularly Ecstasy and cocaine, is more significant than its own production of illegal drugs. Nevertheless, Belgian authorities believe domestic Ecstasy and cannabis production is on the rise. In Europe, only the Netherlands exports more Ecstasy for use in the United States than Belgium does. Canada is the primary source of Ecstasy for the United States. Cultivation of marijuana increasingly involves elaborate, large-scale operations in Belgium. Within the past year, 188 cannabis plantations, all in Flanders, were shut down, leading to the arrest of over 20 people and the seizure of 101,464 cannabis plants. The police action plan for 2004-2007 includes the fight against illegal commerce of cannabis due to the large-scale plantations discovered in the country. The production of amphetamines does not appear to have abated. Dutch traffickers are involved in Belgium’s production of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS). As Dutch law enforcement pressures mount on producers of Ecstasy and other ATS in the Netherlands, some Dutch producers either look to Belgian producers to meet their supply needs or to establish their own facilities in Belgium.

Drug Flow/Transit. Belgium is an important transit point for illegal drug trafficking in Europe. It has been estimated that about 25 percent of drugs from South America moving through Europe eventually transit Belgium, especially cocaine. These drugs are ultimately shipped to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and other points in Western Europe. The port of Antwerp continues to be the one of the most preferred destinations for cocaine imported to Europe. Although the oft-quoted estimate is 16 tons entering the port each year, the actual number is believed to be considerably higher, perhaps as much as 60 MT. The flow of cocaine to Belgium is controlled by Colombian organizations with representatives residing in Africa and in the local region. Antwerp port employees are also documented as being involved in the receipt and off-loading of cocaine upon arrival at the port. This year the number of couriers coming from Africa through Zaventem International Airport has increased significantly, already reaching 116 intercepted. The amount of cocaine seized at the airport makes up one fourth of the total cocaine seized this year. Most of the cocaine originates in South America and transits through either West Africa or South America. The majority of the carriers were of African descent. The other predominant cocaine trafficking groups in Belgium are Colombian, Surinamese, Chilean, Ecuadorian, and Israeli. The Port of Antwerp is also an important transit point for cannabis and hashish. Authorities have noted that the principal shipping method of marijuana has been through DHL parcels destined for the United Kingdom via Belgium. The Netherlands continues to supply both marijuana and hashish to Belgian traffickers. Belgium remains a transit country for heroin destined for the British market. Seizures of the past three years and intelligence indicate that Belgium has also become a secondary distribution and packing center for heroin coming along the Balkan Route. Seized heroin has already reached 522 kg this year compared to last year’s 277 kg. Turkish groups dominate the trafficking of heroin in Belgium. The Belgian Federal Police have identified trucks from Turkey (TIR Trucks) as the single largest transportation mechanism for westbound heroin entering Belgium.

Domestic Programs. Belgium has an active drug education program administered by the regional governments (Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels), which targets the country’s youth. These programs include education campaigns, drug hotlines, HIV and hepatitis prevention programs, detoxification programs, and a pilot program for “drug-free” prison sections. Belgium directs its programs at individuals who influence young people versus young people themselves. In general, Belgian society views teachers, coaches, clergy, and other adults as better suited to deliver the counter narcotics message to the target audience because they already are known and respected by young people.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. The United States and Belgium regularly share drug-related information. Counter narcotics officials in the Belgian Federal Police, Federal Prosecutor’s Office, and Ministry of Justice are fully engaged with their U.S. counterparts. With the rise in the trafficking of ephedrine in Belgium, the U.S. plans to focus on identifying and prosecuting both suppliers and shippers of illegal ephedrine before the drug reaches the U.S. Also the United States recently trained and certified several Belgian Federal Officers in clandestine laboratory search and seizure methods.

The Road Ahead. Belgium has always been open to international support to combat illicit drug trafficking and production. The United States looks forward to close cooperation and support from Belgium in drug-related crime.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

I. Summary

Narcotics control capabilities in Bosnia-Herzegovina (“Bosnia”) remain in a formative period and have not kept pace with developments in other areas of law enforcement. Bosnia is still considered primarily a transit country for drug trafficking due to its strategic location along historic Balkan smuggling routes, weak state institutions, lack of personnel in counternarcotics units, and poor cooperation among the responsible authorities. Although the political will to improve narcotics control performance exists among the Bosnian government, faced with ongoing post-war reconstruction issues, it has to date focused limited law enforcement resources on war crimes, terrorism and trafficking in persons and has not developed comprehensive antinarcotics intelligence and enforcement capabilities. Despite better cooperation among law enforcement agencies, gradual improvements in the oversight of the financial sector, and substantial legal reform, the political divisions within the Bosnian government have contributed to poorly coordinated enforcement efforts. Narcotics trade remains an integral part of the activities of foreign and domestic organized crime figures that operate, according to anecdotal evidence, with the tacit acceptance (and sometimes active collusion) of some corrupt public officials. Border controls have improved, but flaws in the regulatory structure and justice system, lack of coordination among police agencies, and a lack of attention by Bosnia’s political leadership mean that measures against narcotics trafficking and related crimes are often substandard. In 2007, Bosnia took some initial steps to set up a state-level body to coordinate the fight against drugs and develop the national counternarcotics strategy mandated by legislation passed in late 2005. In 2007, the Bosnian entity and local law enforcement agencies continued an counternarcotics campaign to raise awareness about the dangers and effects of drugs. Bosnia is making efforts to forge ties with regional and international law enforcement agencies. Bosnia is party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

Bosnia is not a significant narcotics producer, consumer, or producer of precursor chemicals. Bosnia does occupy a strategic position along the historic Balkan smuggling route between drug production and processing centers in Southwest Asia and markets in Western Europe. Bosnian authorities at the state, entity, cantonal, and municipal levels have been unable to stem the transit of illegal migrants, black market commodities, and narcotics since the conclusion of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords. Traffickers have capitalized in particular on an ineffective justice system, public sector corruption, and the lack of specialized equipment and training. Bosnia is increasingly becoming a storehouse for drugs, mainly marijuana and heroin. Traffickers “warehouse” drugs in Bosnia, until they can be shipped out to destinations further along the Balkan Route. One of the main routes for drug trafficking starts in Albania, continues through Montenegro, passes through Bosnia to Croatia and Slovenia and then on to Central Europe. Information on domestic consumption is not systematically gathered, but authorities estimate Bosnia has 120,000 drug addicts. Anecdotal evidence and law enforcement officials indicate that demand is steadily increasing. No national drug information system focal point exists, and the collection, processing, and dissemination of drug-related data is neither regulated nor vetted by a state-level regulatory body.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. On November 8, 2005, the Bosnian state-level House of Representatives passed legislation designed to address the problem of narcotics trafficking and abuse. Although the state-level counternarcotics coordination body and national counternarcotics strategy mandated by the legislation were not fully in place as of October 2007, Bosnia took some steps toward this implementation. In February the Ministry of Security formed a Section for Combating Drug Abuse and Precursors. In June a working group for the creation of a national strategy against narcotics held its first meeting, where it created three subgroups on Prevention/Education, Suppression, and Treatment. Bosnia is a state with limited financial resources, but, with USG and EU assistance, it is attempting to build state-level law enforcement institutions to combat narcotics trafficking and organized crime and to achieve compliance with relevant UN conventions. The full deployment of the State Border Police (SBP) and the establishment of the State Investigative and Protection Agency (SIPA) have improved counternarcotics efforts. Telephone hotlines, local press coverage, and public relations efforts have focused public attention on smuggling and black-marketeering.

Law Enforcement Efforts. Counternarcotics efforts have improved but remain inadequate given suspected trafficking levels. Cooperation among law enforcement agencies and prosecutors is primarily informal and ad hoc, and serious legal and bureaucratic obstacles to the effective prosecution of criminals remain. Through September 2007 (latest available statistics), law enforcement agencies in Bosnia-Herzegovina (including the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the State Border Police, Federation Ministry of Interior, Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior and Brcko District Police) have filed 774 criminal reports against 1,284 persons for drug related offenses. These agencies also report having seized 6.8 kg of heroin, 2.7 kg of cocaine, 2.4 kg of amphetamines, 142 kg of marijuana, 6,235 cannabis plants, 5,060 cannabis seeds, 10,280 Ecstasy tablets, 29 grams of methadone, 2,285 tablets of “speed”, and 166 grams of hashish. The State Border Police (SBP), founded in 2000, is now fully operational with 2,199 officers and is responsible for controlling the country’s three international airports, as well as Bosnia’s 55 international border crossings covering 1,551 kilometers. The SBP is considered one of the better border services in Southeast Europe and is one of the few truly multi-ethnic institutions in Bosnia. However, there are still a large number of illegal crossing points, including rural roads and river fords, that the SBP is unable to control. Moreover, many official checkpoints and many crossings remain understaffed. The SIPA, once fully operational, will be a conduit for information and evidence between local and international law enforcement agencies, and will have a leading role in counternarcotics efforts. As of October 2007, SIPA had hired 1,209 of a proposed staff of 1,700.

Cultivation/Production. Bosnia is not a major narcotics cultivator. Officials believe that domestic cultivation is limited to small-scale marijuana crops grown in southern and eastern Bosnia. Bosnia is not a major synthetics narcotics producer or refiner.

Corruption. Bosnia does not have laws that specifically target narcotics-related public sector corruption and has not pursued charges against public officials on narcotics-related offenses. Organized crime, working with a few corrupt government officials according to anecdotal evidence, uses the narcotics trade to generate personal revenue. There is no evidence linking senior government officials to the illicit narcotics trade. As a matter of government policy, Bosnia does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.

Agreements and Treaties. Bosnia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and is developing bilateral law enforcement ties with neighboring states to combat narcotics trafficking. Bosnia is also party to the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the 1971 UN Convention Against Psychotropic Substances, and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons. A 1902 extradition treaty between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Serbia applies to Bosnia as a successor state. Bosnia is a party to the UN Convention against Transnational Crime and its protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons. Bosnia is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption.

Drug Flow/Transit. While most drugs entering Bosnia are being trafficked to destinations in third countries, indigenous organized crime groups are involved in local distribution to the estimated 120,000 drug users in the country. Major heroin and marijuana shipments are believed to transit Bosnia by several well-established overland routes, often in commercial vehicles. Local officials believe that Western Europe is the primary destination for this traffic. Officials believe that the market for designer drugs, especially Ecstasy, in urban areas is rising rapidly. Law enforcement authorities posit that elements from each ethnic group and all major crime “families” are involved in the narcotics trade, often collaborating across ethnic lines. Sales of narcotics are also considered a significant source of revenue used by organized crime groups to finance both legitimate and illegitimate activities. There is mounting evidence of links and conflict among, Bosnian criminal elements and organized crime operations in Russia, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Austria, Germany, and Italy.

Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. In Bosnia there are only two methadone therapy centers with a combined capacity to handle about 160 patients. The limited capacity of the country’s psychiatric clinics, also charged with treating drug addicts, is problematic, as the number of addicts and drug-related deaths in the country is rising steadily. It is estimated that between 70 to 80 percent of drug addicts who undergo basic medical treatment are recidivists. The Bosnian government currently pays for the basic medical treatment of drug addicts, but there are no known government programs for reintegrating former addicts into society. Entity and local law enforcement agencies continued an counternarcotics public information campaign that had begun in 2006 with the assistance of the European Police Mission. Law enforcement agencies organized round table discussions and presentations in elementary and high schools about the dangers of drugs. In Sarajevo Canton, police presented re-integration methods for former drug addicts and used official dogs to demonstrate techniques for drug detection. The Viktorija Association conducted counternarcotics campaigns, offered counseling, and provided therapy to recovering drug addicts. The PROI Association maintains a private facility to help drug addicts near Kakanj and expanded its capacity to 20 beds in 2007. During the year PROI presented anti drug messages to students through a drama program in elementary schools throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina. In June PROI organized a race against drugs involving both a fund-raising event and a large counternarcotics abuse demonstration in downtown Sarajevo. With UNICEF support PROI also helped 260 drug addicts receive blood tests to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Policy Initiatives. USG policy objectives in Bosnia include reforming the criminal justice system, strengthening state-level law enforcement and judicial institutions, improving the rule of law, de-politicizing the police, improving local governance, and introducing free-market economic initiatives. The USG will continue to work closely with Bosnian authorities and the international community to combat narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Bilateral Cooperation. The USG’s bilateral law enforcement assistance program continues to emphasize task force training, improved cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, and other measures against organized crime, including narcotics trafficking. The Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) provided specific counternarcotics training to entity Interior Ministries, SIPA and SBP. The USG Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) program provides equipment and training to law enforcement agencies including the State Border Police (SBP) and the Indirect Taxation Administration (ITA) to stop the import of weapons of mass destruction and dual use items. EXBS Assistance increased SBP and ITA’s ability to detect and interdict contraband, including narcotics. The Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance Training (OPDAT) program provides training to judges and prosecutors on organized crime-related matters. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Rome maintains liaisons with its counterparts in Bosnian state and entity level law enforcement organizations. The DEA has also sponsored specific narcotic interdiction training in Bosnia.

The Road Ahead. Strengthening the rule of law, combating organized crime and terrorism, and reforming the judiciary and police in Bosnia remain top USG priorities. The USG will continue to focus its bilateral program on related subjects such as public sector corruption and border controls. The USG will assist Bosnia with the full implementation of the planned national counternarcotics strategy and continue to support police reform. The international community is also working to increase local capacity and to encourage interagency cooperation by mentoring and advising the local law enforcement community.

Bulgaria

I. Summary

Bulgaria is a transit country, as well as a producer of illicit narcotics. Strategically situated on Balkan transit routes, Bulgaria is vulnerable to illegal flows of drugs, people, contraband, and money. Heroin distributed in Europe moves through Bulgaria from Southwest Asia and via the Northern route, while chemicals used for making heroin move through Bulgaria to Turkey and the Middle East. Marijuana and cocaine are also transported through Bulgaria. The Government of Bulgaria (GOB) continued to make incremental progress in improving its law enforcement capabilities and customs services; it closed one illegal drug-producing facility and confiscated the amphetamines being produced there. The Bulgarian authorities also increased their efforts to combat heroin trafficking. Legal and structural reforms in law enforcement have been enacted, although effective implementation remains a challenge. The Bulgarian government has proven cooperative, working with many U.S. agencies, and has reached out to neighboring states to cooperate in interdicting the illegal flow of drugs and persons. Nevertheless, Bulgarian law enforcement agencies, investigators, prosecutors and judges require further assistance to develop the capacity to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate illicit narcotics trafficking cases and other serious crimes effectively. Bulgaria is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

II. Status of Country

In the past year, Bulgaria continued to be primarily a drug transit country and, to a lesser extent, a producer of narcotics. According to NGOs and international observers, Bulgaria continues to be a source of synthetic drug production, and synthetic drugs have overtaken heroin as the most widely used drugs in Bulgaria. Since 2000, heroin use has declined steadily, largely due to increased societal understanding of risks associated with its intravenous use (e.g., HIV/AIDS. This trend continued in 2007 despite the increase in heroin supply. Synthetics are also used as a substitute for cocaine, which is expensive in Bulgaria. Amphetamines are produced in Bulgaria for the domestic market as well as for export to Turkey and the Middle East. The Government of Bulgaria has emphasized its commitment to combat serious crime including drug trafficking. Despite some progress, including the arrest of a notorious underworld boss and eleven members of his importing and trafficking organization operating in the southeast Black sea coastal area, there were no convictions of major figures involved in drug trafficking, or other serious related crimes such as organized criminal activity. Coordination among government agencies has improved and Bulgaria participated in efforts with international drug enforcement authorities. The Bulgarian government also reached out to neighboring states to cooperate in interdicting the illegal flow of drugs and persons. The lack of financing, inadequate equipment to facilitate narcotics searches, widespread corruption, and a cumbersome judicial procedure continue to hamper counternarcotics efforts.

II. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. The Bulgarian government has continued to implement the five-year National Strategy for Drug Control adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2003. In 2004, amendments to the Criminal Code abolished a provision that had decriminalized possession of one-time doses of illegal drugs for personal use. The effectiveness of this legislation has been widely disputed as it extended harsh penalties for drug possession to users as well as producers and distributors. 2006 amendments to the Code reduced punishments for possession, taking into consideration the risk level of the substances. Additional measures included engaging NGOs in counternarcotics partnerships. National programs for drug treatment and prevention have been consistently under-funded.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The Customs Agency under the Ministry of Finance and several specialized police services under the Ministry of Interior, including the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) and Border Police are engaged in counternarcotics efforts. From January to June 2007, Police seized 82 kg of heroin, 26 kg of cocaine, 2.5 kg of amphetamines, 57 kg of dry and 15 liters of fluid precursor chemicals, 140 kg of cannabis and 293,908 tablets of psychotropic substances. During the year, the Customs Agency seized 977 kg of heroin, 2.5 kg of cocaine, 5 kg of marijuana, 53 kg of opium and 1,863 tablets of psychotropic substances. In 2007, GDBOP closed one illegal amphetamine-producing facility and seized over 100 kg of heroin and 143 kg of amphetamines. Bulgarian authorities shared information and developed joint operations with international law enforcement agencies. During the year, cooperation between GDBOP and its foreign counterparts resulted in the seizure of 160 kg of heroin, 3 kg of cocaine and over 200 kg of amphetamines outside the territory of Bulgaria. GDBOP and prosecutors also worked with foreign counterparts to obtain evidence on the use of offshore corporations and bank accounts by Bulgarian money launderers to hide drug proceeds.

Corruption. Despite some progress, corruption in various forms in the government remains a serious problem. During the year 131 government officials, of them 43 police officers, were dismissed over corruption allegations. From January to October 2007, the Prosecution Service has referred to court indictments against 24 police officers involved in possession, production or distribution of narcotics. Bulgaria is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption.

Agreements and Treaties. Bulgaria is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 Single Convention as amended by its 1972 Protocol, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1990 Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of Proceeds from Crime. Bulgaria is a party to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling and illegal manufacturing and trafficking in firearms. The 1924 U.S.-Bulgarian Extradition Treaty and a 1934 supplementary treaty are in force.

Cultivation and Production. The only illicit drug crop known to be cultivated in Bulgaria is cannabis, primarily for domestic consumption, but the extent of this illicit drug cultivation is not known. Experts ascribe opportunistic cultivation of cannabis to the ready availability of uncultivated land and Bulgaria’s receptive climate, particularly in the southwestern part. Cannabis is not trafficked significantly beyond Bulgaria’s own borders. Recently, there has been a decrease in the indigenous manufacture of synthetic stimulant products, largely due to the efforts of Bulgarian law enforcement. Illegal laboratories have relocated to Eastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Armenia in order to be closer to consumers and to reduce risks associated with border crossings.

Drug Flow/Transit. Synthetic drugs, heroin, and cocaine are the main drugs transported through Bulgaria. Heroin from the Golden Crescent in Southwest Asia has traditionally been trafficked to Western Europe on the Balkan route from Turkey. The trend of heroin traffic moving by the more circuitous routes through the Caucasus and Russia to the north and through the Mediterranean to the south is strengthening. Other trafficking routes crossing Bulgaria pass through Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. In addition to heroin and synthetic drugs, smaller amounts of marijuana and cocaine also transit through Bulgaria. Sporadic cocaine shipments from South America are transported via boat to the Black Sea and Greece, then on to Western Europe. Precursor chemicals for the production of heroin pass from the Western Balkans through Bulgaria to Turkey and the Middle East. Synthetic drugs produced in Bulgaria are also trafficked through Turkey to markets in Southwest Asia. Principal methods of transport for heroin and synthetics include buses, vans, TIR trucks, and cars, with smaller amounts sent by air. Cocaine is primarily trafficked into Bulgaria by air in small quantities, and in motor vehicles, and by maritime vessel in larger quantities.

Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. In January 2006, the Government approved a two-year National Program to add methadone maintenance as a heroin treatment option to the national healthcare system. There are three state-run methadone programs, which provide treatment free of charge and four private methadone clinics. All seven methadone programs offer treatment to more than 1000 patients. For drug treatment, there are 35 outpatient units and thirteen inpatient facilities nationwide, two of which are specialized psychiatric clinics for alcoholism and drug addictions. None of these facilities has a separate unit for juvenile patients. The Ministry of Education requires that schools nationwide teach health promotion modules on substance abuse. According to NGOs, the modules have not been effective in discouraging drug abuse. According to the Bulgarian National Center for Addictions (NCA), the number of students in grades 9-12 who reported using drugs at least once remained high and stood at 33.2 percent in 2007. Cannabis remained the most widely used drug, with use of cocaine and amphetamines increasing. The NCA engages in prevention campaigns and provides training seminars on drug abuse for students, post-graduates and other groups, including schoolteachers, social workers and journalists. The NCA operates prevention and education centers in 18 out of Bulgaria’s 28 administrative districts. The centers, financially supported by the municipalities, have been consistently under-funded which hampers staff retention. Since 2003, the NCA also serves as a focal point and is co-funded by the EU Monitoring Center for Drug Addictions. After EU accession, the NCA has received adequate resources for prevention campaigns, but the other branches of the system for drug treatment and prevention, particularly at local level, continue to face financial constraints and staffing problems. Three universities provide professional training in drug prevention. Specialized professional training in drug treatment and demand reduction has been provided through programs sponsored by UNODC and the WHO.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. DEA operations for Bulgaria are managed from the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul. The United States also supports various programs through the State Department and USAID. These programs are implemented by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Treasury Department to support the counternarcotics efforts of the Bulgarian legal system. These initiatives address a lack of adequate equipment, the need for improved administration of justice at all levels and insufficient cooperation among Bulgarian enforcement agencies. A DOJ resident legal advisor works with the Bulgarian government on law enforcement issues, including trafficking in drugs and persons, intellectual property, cyber-crime and other issues. A Treasury Department representative supported Bulgarian efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, including money laundering. USAID provides assistance to strengthen Bulgaria’s legal framework, enhance the capacity of magistrates and promote anticorruption efforts.

The Road Ahead. The U.S. and Bulgaria will continue to cooperate effectively to improve Bulgaria’s capacity to enforce narcotics laws. The U.S. encourages the Bulgarian government over the next year to sustain and increase rates of narcotics seizures, while implementing steps to reduce domestic drug production. It also encourages the Bulgarian government to strengthen interagency cooperation and prosecute cases of high-level corruption and organized crime.

Croatia

I. Summary

Croatia is not a producer of narcotics. However, narcotics smuggling through the Balkans route to Western Europe remains a serious concern to Croatian authorities. Croatian law enforcement bodies cooperate actively with their U.S. and regional counterparts to combat narcotics smuggling. Croatia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

According to current statistics, the amount of available narcotics on the Croatian market increased and the kinds of available drugs broadened during the year, resulting in a greater number of addicts. The number of treated persons in 2006 was 7,427 (out of which 2,000 were treated for the first time), an increase from prior years (e.g. 2005—6,668 persons; 2004—5,768 persons). Of the total number of persons treated in 2006, 82 percent were men. Heroin and other opiates are the drugs of choice in Croatia.

II. Status of Country

Croatia shares borders with Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has a 1000 km long coastline (4000 km if its 1,001 islands are considered), which presents an attractive target to contraband smugglers seeking to move narcotics into the large European market. Narcotics smuggling continued to increase along the “Balkan Route” destined for European markets, with the majority transiting through Croatia’s land borders.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007

Policy Initiatives. In December 2005, Croatia adopted a National Strategy for Narcotics Abuse Prevention for 2006-2012, developed with assistance from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The Strategy aims to bring demand and supply reduction efforts in line with EU policies and creates a National Information Unit for Drugs to standardize monitoring and the assessment of drug abuse data in order to facilitate data sharing with the EU’s EMCDDA programs. In February 2006, the Government of Croatia (GOC) adopted the Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control for 2006-2009. The goal of the Action Plan is to achieve equal availability of programs throughout the country targeting primarily children, youth and families.

In June 2006, Parliament adopted changes to the Criminal Code, which increased sentences for possession and dealing of illicit drugs. Croatia also instituted changes to the criminal code, increasing penalties for several other narcotics-related offenses. The minimum penalty for narcotics production and dealing was increased from one to three years. The minimum penalty for selling narcotics by organized groups was increased from three to five years. The minimum penalty for incitement or facilitating the use of illegal narcotics was increased to one year. In addition, punishment for possession of related equipment or precursor chemicals was increased from three months to a mandatory sentence of no less than one year. Other changes to the criminal code permit the police to use such tactics as controlled deliveries, a method that was used this year with international cooperation. Another amendment to the criminal code eases procedures to confiscate assets of organized crime groups by placing the burden of providing evidence about the origins of assets on the defendant rather than the prosecutor, and allowing confiscation of assets acquired during the period of incriminating activity. Croatia continues to cooperate well with other European states to improve the control and management of its porous borders. Authorities describe cooperation on narcotics enforcement issues with neighboring states as excellent.

Law Enforcement Efforts. The Interior Ministry, Justice Ministry and Customs Directorate have primary responsibility for law enforcement issues, while the Ministry of Health has primary responsibility for the strategy to reduce and treat drug abuse. The Interior Ministry’s Anti-Narcotics Division is responsible for coordinating the work of counternarcotics units in police departments throughout the country. The Interior Ministry maintains cooperative relationships with Interpol and neighboring states, and cooperates through the South-Eastern Cooperation Initiative (SECI). Croatian police and Customs authorities continued to coordinate counternarcotics efforts on targeted border-crossing points. Police reported the following seizures: Heroin (82 kg in 2006 vs. 52 kg in the first 9 months in 2007) and hashish (12 kg in 2006 vs. 4 kg in the first nine months of 2007, marijuana 202.5 kg vs. 179 kg in the first nine months in 2007, cocaine 5.6 kg vs. 16 kg in the first nine months in 2007, amphetamine 11.6 kg vs. 7 kg in the first nine months of 2007, Ecstasy 16,340 tablets vs. 12,177 tablets in the first nine months of 2007). In 2005, police submitted charges against 5,700 persons for narcotics-associated crimes; in 2006 police initiated criminal charges against 6,017 individuals and in the first nine months of 2007 police initiated criminal charges against 5,041 persons. Crimes associated with the sale or abuse of narcotics make up 10 percent of total crimes recorded. During 2006, 8,346 registered criminal acts were associated with narcotics smuggling and abuse.

Corruption. As a matter of government policy, Croatia does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. Similarly, no senior government official is alleged to have participated in, encouraged, or facilitated such activities. Croatia is a party to the UN Corruption Convention.

Agreements and Treaties. Croatia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Conv