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Threat of Drugs Traffic from Afghanistan for European Community
V.P.Voitenko, Vice-chairman of Security Committee of the State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Sciences in Sociology
World community has entered the XXI century with numerous unsolved global problems. Among them I could name drug addiction and drug industry. Financing of terrorism and extremism, corruption, money laundry, spreading of AIDS and other deceases constitute far from the full list of threats which illegal drugs circulation brings to the mankind.
Analytical studies held recently in the area of illegal drugs industry by various international organizations and national specialized centers prove the fact that national drug rings gradually expand their activity, intensively "explore" new regions and territories for cultivation and production of drugs, update routes and means of transportation of the deadly loads. attract to the business various social layers and the whole ethnic groups, introduce more and more people to non-medical drug use (Picture 1, 2).
The problem of illegal drugs circulation does not recognize race, sex, religion or nationality. More and more often one of the most important values of our civilization- human life- is jeopardized by use of drugs.
Annually drug addiction brings disaster to millions of families all over the world. According to approximate estimations more than 200 million of people use different types of drugs. Number of drug consumers grows annually.
It is common knowledge that human organism gets into the habit of drugs very quickly. And it is almost impossible to break free from the vicious circle which swallows up like a swamp. The overwhelming majority of drug users is as a rule under 30. And very often having become addicted they simply do not live that long.
As US Minister of Justice John Tornburg noted right: "Drug industry is the hugest mass killer. But for some rare incidents, bloody hand of a murderer usually strikes only one victim, no matter how cruel the blow is. But the vicious hand of drug dealer takes away one human life after another, and just like a fantastic vampire, creates the other in his own criminal image, and they, in their turn, create alike; this spreads over generations and does not even have mercy on still unborn."
Picture 1. World volumes of opiates and cocaine capture in 1990-2000 (in metric tons).
Picture 2. World volumes of heroin and morphine capture in 1990-2000 (in metric tons).
From year to year more and more victims fall into the net of drug addiction. According to studies each consumer annually introduces 10-15 people to the bad habit. In some countries the number of schoolchildren and young men of full legal age who, as they confessed, tried marijuana amounts to 40%.
According to experts' opinion people of the Earth spend more money on illegal drugs that on food, residence, clothes. education and medical service. In conformity with UNO specialists' estimates world turnover of world drug industry exceeds 600 billion dollars, which amounts to almost 10% of world trade. In some years world turnover of world drug industry exceeds the turnover of world of motor vehicles and ferrous metals, taken together. As some assessments show, only the area of banking involves at least 11 billion drugs-connected dollars.
Events of September 11, 2001 in the USA became a serious reminder to the world community about the threat coming from world terrorism; they made us think what international terrorism is connected with. One of its the most dangerous links is illegal drugs turnover, being an important source of terrorists' financial support.
Operations with drugs bring up to 2000% of net income, which makes them attractive both for transnational criminal organizations and for separate groups of criminals whose aim is to get maximum profit in a short space of time. Up to 70% of financial supplies of organized crime falls at drug industry.
Illegal drugs turnover actively stimulates corruption with the help of which drugs -cartels and other criminal groupings involved in drug industry try to secure their business and escape penalty. A part of benefit is spared on bribery and receipt of the required information. The interested people collect information about corrupt officials in law- machinery and public authorities, data of market opportunities, prices on drugs.
Drug industry constantly improves itself, increasing technical, financial potential adopting high achievements of scientific and technical advance to their needs.
In order to support their criminal activity transnational rings purchase up-to-date weapons and ammunition, electronic systems; they update their methods of personal security support and introduce the newest buildup in the area on on-going basis. Drug operators direct a part of gain received from drug dealing to purchase of communication equipment, coding devices, radio sets using rapid frequency measuring method, receivers for radars detection. According to experts' opinion drug industry annually invests about 125 million dollars in purchase of new "equipment of pilot exploring".
Vegetable drugs mainly produced in the poorest countries make them poorer. Cultivation of drugs-containing plants adversely influence economic growth. Drugs industry often constitutes a reason of state destabilization and weakening of political system due to corruption. Overwhelming part of income from illegal drugs turnover falls at not the countries which produce them, but the countries where the finished product finds its illegal market and becomes consumers' product.
The example of Afghanistan easily proves that illegal drugs industry may destabilize a whole country. Throughout expansion of opium production in the early 90th encouraged civil war, resulted in reduction of economic growth and decrease in level of life. In two countries adjacent to Afghanistan- Pakistan and Iran, which significantly reduced or liquidated opium poppy cultivation, showed positive economic growth both in 80th and in 90th.
It would not be exaggerating to call Afghanistan on of world leading monopolists of drugs market. Wars have been ravaging Afghanistan for decades. Collapse of economy, uncertainty in politics, lack of employment opportunities made opium poppy a perfect crop for many Afghan peasants who live on subsistence farming.
In 1993 in Afghanistan 685 tons of drugs were procures; in 1994- 950, in 1995-1250, in 1996 a great spurt was made and Afghanistan manufactured almost 2100 tons of opium, and in 2000 it was already 3667 tons.
Afghan farmers actively deal in hemp (marijuana) planting besides opium poppy; hashish is also produced in Afghanistan. (Picture 3).
In the countries adjacent to Afghanistan a number of rug addicted people increased dramatically. For example, according to UNO data in Pakistan the number grew by 30% and reached 2 million people, and in Iran- 1,25 million. During the decade the number of drug addicted people in the republics of former soviet Middle Asia, according to various estimates, drew 3-7 times.
Expert opinions by analysts of UNO Department for Crime and Drugs prove scale of Afghan drugs traffic. In accordance to them more than 70% of opium and almost 100% of heroin illegally delivered to European Union counties are of Afghan origin.
Officials of "Taliban" movement called drugs "The damnation of the West" and thought that they fight anti- Islamic world by production of opium.
Picture 3. Afghan provinces where the major areas of drug-containing plants are accumulated.
While the Taliban order was trying to win international acknowledgement and justification, mullah Omar made statement about prohibition of opium poppy manufacture. But this was, first, a good publicity move and, second, having cut supplies of heroin to world market the Talibs rapidly sent prices of the drug up and could favorably distribute their old stock.
After commencing of US anti- terror operation in Afghanistan hope to reduce threat of drugs expansion from Afghanistan appeared. In order to ease struggle with Afghan drugs0connected criminal groups the Russian part provided the USA representatives and their allies in anti-terror coalition accurate coordinates of opium and heroin manufacturing laboratories located within Afghanistan as well as of fields of opium poppy. They were found by means of space satellites.
However, some time passed and optimism with regard to development of situation with drugs in Afghanistan was replaced by uneasy waiting. In February 2002 information of UN International Committee of Drugs Control (ICDC) appeared stating that after the fall of Taliban order the culturing of opium poppy reached in the whole Afghanistan such level as it had never been before. At the same time there was almost no information about liquidation or discovery of drugs stocks and laboratories in the process of anti-terror operation.
Measures taken by temporal government of Khamid Karzai aimed at illegal turnover and smuggling of drugs were not only ineffective but, in some ways, stimulated rate of their production. In particular, taking advantage of the motto to destroy opium plantations drugs manufacturers gained profit both from the collected crop and from the sales of "poppy straw" to international organizations. Favorable climate conditions and the provided opportunity to receive double profit encouraged drugs-connected businessmen to sow territories under their control with opium poppy.
Measures taken by the new Afghan administration and international organizations in order to re-orient Afghan peasants to growing of opium-poppy- alternative crops by means of payment of financial compensations for each hectare of the destroyed drug crops also did not bring the expected results. As experts note the amount of the said compensation is much lower than the gain from sale of opium collected from the area. According to UNO experts' opinions, growing of poppy is almost 30 times more beneficial than cultivation of wheat, and 40 times if compared with cotton. Attempts of forced destroying of opium poppy crops face resistance of population, including even armed opposition.
The fact that as a result of UNO supplies of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan the domestic Afghan grain crops purchasing prices dropped dramatically aggravated situation in the area.
Participation in drug industry of some public agents and commanders of Afghan army subdivisions, who sometimes protect and transport drugs, constitute one of the factors adversely influencing drug situation in Afghanistan. So, Khazarat Ali, head of police of Afghan province Nanragkhar, was arrested this February. Apart from taking part in people kidnapping he was accused of being involved in drug industry. It became known that several helicopters provided by American command for struggle with terrorists and Taliban soldiers were used by him in his own interests. He fitted them to transportation of large lots of drugs to the north of the country wherefrom they were afterwards illegally conveyed to accomplices acting in central- Asian states contiguous with Afghanistan.
In autumn of 2002 after short break Afghanistan again became the world leader in the area of opium production. According to information of General secretary of State Committee of Afghanistan for Struggle with Drugs Sh. Ansari and opinion of UNO experts the areas occupied by opium poppy in Afghanistan in 2002 did not reduce but become larger. The area of opium poppy crops 9 times exceeded indices of 2001 and amounted to 60-80 thousand hectares. Especially high growth of sown areas (47%) is observed in the north of countries in provinces immediately adjacent to Tajik-Afghan border (9750 hectares in 2002 against 6640 hectares in 2001). The greatest increase of opium poppy crops (growth of sown areas accounted for 30%) is noted in province Badakhashan.
According to preliminary estimations of international experts the yield of drugs-containing cultures of 2002 (3,5-4 thousand tons) and the available drugs stock allow Afghan drug industry to deal with drugs trade in present volumes within the nearest 2-2,5 years.
Currently, according to information of UNO experts there are more than 400 permanent drugs-producing laboratories within Afghan territory, 63 of which are located and function in the northern provinces of Afghanistan along Tajik-Afghan border. In a number of Afghan provinces construction of new permanent and mobile laboratories processing opium into heroin is noted.
Thus opium smuggling from Afghanistan to Central Asia, Russia and further to Western Europe, the USA and Canada becomes more global and organized bringing great profit to international terrorist groups and threatening economic and social stability of our countries.
Picture 4. Drugs transit routs through Russia
Means of drugs transportation:
- air transport
- railway transport
- motor transport
- without transport means
- sea transport
Picture 5. Major heroin transportation routs from Afghanistan and average world heroin prices
Picture 6. Major heroin transport routs from Afghanistan to Russia and other CIS countries
According to UN International Committee of Drugs Control information more that 120 tons of heroin are exported from Afghanistan annually. The problem of drug traffic from Afghanistan is very urgent for Eurasia region and, first of all, for Russia.
This is due to the fact that because of its geopolitical situation our country is a kind of a bridge between Europe and Asia. Russia is one of the first countries facing threat of drugs coming from the territory of Afghanistan (picture 4-6).
The major routes of drug transportation from Afghanistan are:
- "western" - through Iran to Turkey and further to Western Europe and the USA;
- "northern" (so called "northern corridor") -through the territories of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and further through Kirgizia, Kazakhstan to Russia, Western Europe countries, Scandinavia, to eastern coast of the USA and Canada.
Routs through Iran and Pakistan were traditionally considered the most attractive for drug industry. However, according UN International Committee of Drugs Control opinion recently this way was affected mainly due to significant success of Iran and Pakistan in struggle against illegal drugs turnover.
In accordance with UNO experts' opinion up to 65% of opium and 80% of heroin is exported via the "northern" route. The "northern" route is more and more used by drug dealers for heroin and opium delivery to European countries.
Russian specialist consider that it is not inconceivable that in the nearest future another route of Afghan drugs transportation may appear - via junction of borders of Tajikistan, China and Afghanistan, further along the territories of China, Kazakhstan and Russia to the countries of Western and Eastern Europe.
Numerous research shows that drugs couriers and corrupted officials usually receive not money, but drugs for their services. They re-sell or use the drugs. As a result, along the routes of the couriers the number of drug addicted people undoubtedly rises and, respectively, the level of crime and virus deceases, AIDS and hepatitis in particular, grows as well. All of this constitutes negative consequence of drugs traffic.
Due to its general aim, the frontier guard of most of the states constitutes an integral constituent of system ensuring state security. And since the issues of state border threats strike back immediately appertain to it, the potential of frontier guard services is immediately activated in struggle with drugs smuggling. Firs of all it concerns detection and prevention of illegal transportation of drugs through state border. The role of such "filter" is extremely important in the frameworks of all-state measures. And under conditions of intensifying expansion of drug industry geography, diversity of tactics and means of drugs transportation, the task becomes more urgent.
There is no doubt that a effective barrier for international drug dealers immediately at state border, i.e. at the stage of a country intrusion, may significantly limit their opportunities and prevent tragic consequences of drugs use.
The Frontier Service of Federal Security Service of Russia contributes to drugs smuggling counteraction from Afghanistan, first of all, at Tajik-Afghan and Russian -Kazakh border,
Most of captures of illegal drugs are made at Tajik-Afghan border defended by Russian frontier guard in conformity with intergovernmental treaty. So, according to information of Regional Representative Office of UNO Department of Drugs Control and Crime Prevention in Central Asia within the last 3 years 80-85% of opium and heroin was detained in Tajikistan from the whole volume seized by all the states of Central Asia region.
Table. The amount of heroin and its share among other drugs detained at Russian-Tajik border. (Click on link to see the table).
Only in 2002 the defense structures of Tajikistan and Frontier Guard Group of Federal Frontier Guard Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan captured 7 tons of drugs, including 4 tons of heroin. More than 4 tons, about 60% of the drugs detained in Tajikistan last year fall at the share of Russian frontier guard group.
In 2000 Russian frontier guard captured 3, 13 tons of drugs at Tajik-Afghan border, in 2001- 5, 45 tons, in 2002- 4 tons.
For the 9 months of 2003 more than 3470 kg of drugs, including 2185 kg of heroin, were captured at Tajik-Afghan border.
Tendency of growth of both amount of heroin and its share in all the drugs captured at Russian-Tajik part of the border is still the matter of concern (Table).
In total, from 1993 Frontier Guard Group of Federal Frontier Guard Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan captured about 21 tons of drugs, including more than 6 tons of heroin.
According to opinion of a number of international experts, currently drug rings became larger in number of people, have clear diversified structure, well-armed, use modern means of communication, which significantly hampers their counteraction.
Increasing boldness of drugs couriers, who openly go into action against Russian frontier guard troops, is a typical tendency in tactics of drugs smuggling groups. Recently the actions aimed at forwarding of drugs through Tajik-Afghan border have gained all the peculiar features of organized and planned activities supported by well-armed groupings; smugglers use modern means of communication and weapon. Scale of drug smugglers' activity expands. The amount of drugs in one forwarded lot varies from several dozens to several hundreds.
Only within the last 5 years more than 550 attempts of drug smugglers' crossings were prevented at the site of Frontier Guard Group of Federal Frontier Guard Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan. With all this going on more than 1000 trespassers, 300 units of fire-arms and about 44 thousand units of ammunition were captured. 210 times Russian frontier guard detachments were attacked with fire. More than 200 times they went into actions as a result of which 13 frontier guards were killed and 27 were wounded.
The facts prove that there is real war against international drug-mob at Tajik- Afghan border. As experts of UNO Committee for Control of Drugs also consider, Russian frontier guards are in the vanguard of the front.
At the meeting with frontier guards which took place on 23 September 2003 Temporally Acting Regional Representative of UN International Committee of Drugs Control in Central Asia (Tashkent) Ms. Nasra Khasan highly appreciated their activity aimed at counteraction to illegal drugs turnover. She stressed that the experience of model of tripartite cooperation of Tajik authorities, Russian frontier guards and UN International Committee of Drugs Control aimed at counteraction to drugs, will serve as a good example in the course of implementation of similar projects by UN International Committee of Drugs Control in other countries.
There are no reasons to rely on reduction of drug smuggling volumes from Afghanistan in the nearest future. On the contrary, we predict trans-nationalization of drug industry in Central-Asia region. Formation of sustainable Afghan- Tajik drug rings resulted from the drug business existing here for a number of years.
Russian-Kazakh border is very important for struggle with Afghan drug traffic.
Activeness of illegal drugs turnover in Kazakhstan and through its territory has been rapidly increasing in recent years. The number of drugs smuggling attempts through the state border of Kazakhstan is growing. The drugs imported to the republic are mainly intended for further transportation to other countries.
Criminal drugs-connected groups re-oriented themselves to distribution of so called hard drugs within the territory of Kazakhstan. This is proved by growth of the amount of confiscated heroin in 2000 by 384%, morphine- by 60%. And defense structures manage to arrest not more than 15-20% of the drugs imported to Kazakhstan. The indices for the captured heroin are even lower (according to experts' opinions, not more than 1%).
Air, railway and motor routes from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are often used for drugs (mainly heroin) transit through Russian-Kazakh border. In general, drug couriers try to export drugs in local trains and busses, in small lots, hiding them in clothes, personal things, in components of vehicles or intracavitary.
About 2 tons of drugs, being more than half (57%) of all captures at Russian border, were detained at the border with Kazakhstan for the last 5 years. For 9 months of 2003 at Russian-Kazakh section more than 560 kg of drugs, including 388 kg of heroin, were detained.
Unfortunately only a small part of drugs is captured at Russian-Kazakh border, and there are objective reasons for that. On the one hand, volumes of cargo-and-passenger transportation through southern borders of the Russian Federation increase annually. On another hand, Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia and Federal Customs Committee of Russia do not dispose of the required infrastructure and equipment in this direction for organization of proper counteraction to drugs smuggling. Besides that, up to present moment non of the check-points at the state border does not correspond to the demands made with regard to their technique. Finance means provided by federal budget are not enough for border development an strengthening of anti-drug potential of frontier guard detachments.
According to experts' opinion, Kazakhstan is currently not just a territory for drugs transit, but their manufacturer. There is a significant raw materials basis for drugs production in Chuiskaya valley where wild Indian hemp grows. Annually one may produce 5-6 thousand tons of marijuana from it. In near-Uzbekistan borderlands of Yuzhno-Kazakhstan district there are certain facts of opium poppy cultivation.
But despite the measures taken, the level of criminal activity of trans-border criminal groupings through the border remains high. Opium smuggling from Afghanistan to Central Asia countries, Russia and further to Western Europe, the USA and Canada becomes more and more global and organized, bringing good profit to international terrorist groups. It also threatens economic and social stability of not just Russia, but many other countries of the world.
Without any exaggeration drugs may be referred as the weapon of terror and moral enslavement. This is how they must be treated only. It is easy to imagine the consequences the countries of European Council could face if, for example, all these people poured to the European states.
Russian frontier guards try to shut the ways firmly. Considering the latest trends of development of the situation in the region of Central Asia, the Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia undertook extra measures to strengthen protection of Tajik-Afghan and Russian-Kazakh borders.
No state can solely solve the problem of drug traffic since it has become a part of international and transnational illegal business.
In this connection we should spotlight the high rate of cooperation arranged between Russian law machinery and UNO Department for Control of Drugs and Crime Prevention.
Assistance with regard to technique rendered by and UNO Department for Control of Drugs and Crime Prevention to Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan allowed to purposely and efficiently work struggling certain drug groups, timely and reliably shut the routes of drugs transportation through the border. The results of service and military operation of Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan evidence it very well.
The Russian part intends to go on cooperation with UNO Department for Control of Drugs and Crime Prevention in terms of further strengthening of technique of our frontier guard detachments at Tajik-Afghan and Russian-Kazakh border. Our deepest belief is that realization of the project shall not be considered as one-shot action. In order to continue struggle with the hugest ever drug industry in Central-Asia region, including drugs smuggling, we have to continuously gather anti-drugs potential of powers standing against the evil. However, these efforts are not enough. We have to radically change the relation of the society towards the problem of drugs smuggling through Tajik-Afghan, Russian-Kazakh border to Russia and further to European states.
The matter is that lately Russia has more and more often faced some misunderstanding of the problem. Acknowledging the large scales of illegal drugs turnover a number of donor-countries consider that smuggling of the drugs through the territory of our country does not threaten their states and world community. However the truth is that trans-border criminal groups have long ago established transnational communications they required, and they actively develop them. That is why it seems unreal to expect that a state can solely oppose itself to the threat of drugs. Taking into consideration the role of Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia in it task to prevent drugs smuggling, which directly threatens the security of European states, support of field and technical capabilities of its anti-drugs detachments is a top- priority issue which has to be paid special attention to by the European community.
Considering this, realization of decision of world community regarding backup "safety belt" around Afghanistan (March of 2002, Resolution of 45th session of Committee for Drugs 1.16. about the necessity to strengthen "safety belts" around Afghanistan) is an important element of complex approach to struggle with threat of drugs originating from Afghanistan. Creation of reliable barrier to Afghan drugs traffic at the boundary of Russian-Kazakh frontier and further support of potential of Frontier Guard Service of Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Tajikistan shall be among the immediate aims in this area.
For now, unfortunately, there are not enough of practical steps of international community aimed at creation of anti-drug belts around Afghanistan.
Meanwhile the information collected by UNO Department for Control of Drugs and Crime Prevention proves that about 70% of the total volume of Afghan opium confiscated in 2002 in the whole world were captured in the countries bordering with Afghanistan and located on the ways of drugs transit (Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenia, Uzbekistan, Kirgizia, Kazakhstan and Russia). To compare, in Europe about 12% were captured, in the American continent - 3%. This information about captures expressively prove the fact that the majority of confiscations are made in the immediate proximity to Afghanistan, i.e. in the course of initial transportation of large lots of drugs to the outlets. As soon as the lots reach their market they are divided into numerous smaller lots which are much more difficult to detect and capture.
It is evident that the farther the drug moves from the manufacturing country, the more difficult it is to prevent its illegal distribution. Is it not an argument counting in favor of "safety belts" creation?
Seizing large lots of drugs from illegal circulation, the transit countries incur huge financial losses due to set up of special anti-drug detachments, their equipment, logistics and information supply, personnel training. But the countries do their the mort terrible bit for successes in struggle with drug rings sacrificing lifes of workers of law machinery, special services and frontier guard.
The above information and analysis of counteraction to distribution of drugs coming from Afghanistan gives rise to a well -defined conclusion that the measures taken by each state domestically at the national level are evidently insufficient. We need a practical and effective program of world community implementation thereof would create a real barrier on the way of Afghan drugs traffic.
In our opinion set up of "safety belts" at Tajik-Afghan and Russian0Kazakh border could be such program.
Russian has well-defined proposals and calculation on this matter. Currently the project "Backup of Tajik-Afghan border" is worked over. The project envisages significant growth of anti-drugs potential of Russian frontier guard detachments dislocated at the border with Afghanistan, as well as Tajik law machinery.
The project aimed at creation of the second, the most important "safety belt" at Russian-Kazakh border where, we suppose, the main efforts must be concentrated, is being successfully developed.
The cost of the projects is quite high. Russia along can not tackle the problem of financing of "safety belts". At least within the nearest 10-15 years. Urgent and real assistance of world community is needed. In this case the program of "safety belts" creation will commence in a short space of time. Volumes and percentage of drugs confiscation may be increased in the nearest future due to relatively low costs for each interested state of the Community - by means of financial aid rendering including set-off of Russia's debt to the states of Community and International financial institutions, provision of information and equipment, training of personnel.
Thus the effectiveness of struggle with the spreading drugs threat is very much dependant on the rate of integration of co-ordination of world community efforts. Only through joining our actions we will be able to significantly advance the solution of common problem of struggle with illegal drugs turnover.
Voitenko Viktor Petrovich. Appointed Commander-in-Chief of Zabaikalskiy frontier district of Federal Frontier Guard Service of Russia in 1995. Resigned office as colonel-general in 1998. From June 1999 Councilor, then Deputy Minister of Communications of the Russian Federation. Elected deputy of State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for 188th Chita ingle member constituency in 2000. Vice- Chairman of Security Committee of State Duma. Candidate of Sciences in Sociology. Member of editorial board of magazine "Law and security".
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