AZERBAIJAN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN AFGHANISTAN DRUG TRAFFIC

    The International Day to Combat Drug Trafficking is celebrated on June 26. The official events are not held in Azerbaijan and the subject is almost not covered in press. Although struggle against drug trafficking has intensified in Azerbaijan lately, the country remains an important transshipment point of heroin from Afghanistan to Russia and Europe. The widely used drugs in Azerbaijan are heroin, ecstasy, hashish, hemp and cocaine. The domestic consumption keeps on growing. According to official data, number of drug addicts reaches 23,000 people. According to unofficial information, there are about 300,000 drug addicts, majority of whom use heroin. Students constitute the majority of drug addicts - 30-35%. Majority of the heroin addicts live in big cities and in Lenkoran region (64.6%). Drug addiction among young women grows and according to unofficial sources, constitutes 5,000. According to the Azerbaijani government, majority of drugs transported through the country are those made in Afghanistan. The main transportation routes are: Afghanistan-Iran-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Western Europe; Afghanistan-Iran-Nagorno Karabakh-Armenia-Georgia-Western Europe; Afghanistan-Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia; Afghanistan-Central Asia- Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan- Georgia-Western Europe. According to the UN, Afghanistan manufactures about 9,000 tons of opium a year or 93% of all world resources. According to the U.S. STRATFOR Center, 40% of Afghanistan drug traffic falls to Iran, which further goes to Azerbaijan and Turkey. Number of drug related crimes in Azerbaijan also grows. In 2009 several tons of drugs, including heroin and opium, were confiscated. In 2008 650 kilo of drugs were confiscated. The late tendencies and poor struggle against the drug related crimes give the reason to forecast further growth of the drug trafficking.