DRAFT COUNTRY PROFILE 1999-2000

AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC

Topography:

    The Republic of Azerbaijan is located in the eastern Transcaucasia, on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. The total area of Azerbaijan is 86,600 sq. km; with a land area of 86,100 sq. km. Azerbaijan borders the Republic of Dagestan (Russian Federation) to the north (390.3 km), Iran to the south (984 km), and Georgia to the north-west (507 km). It also shares an 11 km long border with Turkey, in the geographically separated by Armenian territory autonomous province of Nakhichevan. Azerbaijan also includes the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Province, which is largely populated by Armenians but does not legally constitute part of Armenia. The population of this country based on a 1998 estimate is 7.913 million. Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan.

(I)        Cultivation and Production

    Cultivation of the drug containing crops as well as manufacture of the narcotic drugs are illegal in the country. Nevertheless, there is illegal poppy and cannabis cultivation, mostly in the South of the country. Most of the poppy cultivation occurs on very small plots and intended for the domestic market. According to the Azerbaijan Government authorities, the 123 kilometers of the state border of the Nagorno-Karabakh Region, which are under control of Armenia, are used for opium poppy cultivation and illicit drug smuggling.

        Number of Cases Related to the Illicit Cultivation of Drug Containing Crops*

       * Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Drug Control Department

     As shown in the above table, the illicit cultivation continues to decline and has fallen to 24,5% in 1999 compared to the year before.

        Quantity of Eradicated Drug Containing Crops (metric tones)*

* Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Drug Control Department

    Around 135 metric tonnes of wild growing cannabis bushes were eradicated in the first six months of the year 2000.

(II)       Illicit Drug Trafficking

    The geographic location of Azerbaijan makes the country a favourable transit route for the trafficking of drugs that originate in Southwestern and Central Asian countries to both Eastern and Western Europe. There are several possible drug trafficking routes as follows:

(i)                  Afghanistan – Turkmenistan – Azerbaijan – Georgia - Turkey – Europe;

(ii)                Iran – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Turkey – Europe;

(iii)               Iran – territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Region – Armenia – Europe;

(iv)              Russia – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Turkey – Europe.

    The situation is aggravated because of the disruption of the Balkan Route due to the regional ethnic conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. Narcotics enter Azerbaijan territory from Iran or cross the Caspian Sea from Central Asia by ferries and further channeled to the Russian and European markets. Traffickers are also transporting drug shipments to the country on commercial aircrafts from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. The drugs are then transferred on Azeri aircrafts to Istanbul. In Turkey, the drugs are loaded onto Transporte Internationale Routier (TIR) trucks destined for Europe. Another route is to smuggle drugs through Azerbaijan to Russia, and then to Europe. 

    In 1998, there were two attempts to smuggle heroin through the first above-mentioned route. In the first case, in Turkmenistan 500 kilograms of heroin were found in the container with rice set off for Turkey from Afghanistan. In the second case, 500 kilograms of heroin were revealed in the passenger bus at the Turkish border.

(III)     Drug Abuse

Number of Drug Abusers in 1993 - 1999*

* Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Drug Control Department

    The number of registered drug abusers is strongly suspected to under-represent the true figure. It has been reported that the consumption of opiates has been growing at an alarming rate. On 1 January 2000, 13071 people have been registered under the medical observation in the country. Currently, the number of drug users accounts to 13512 people.

(IV)     Fight Against Illicit Drugs

    Azerbaijan is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention as well as the 1961 UN Single Convention and 1971 UN Convention of Psychotropic Substances. In 1997,  “National Programme of the Azerbaijan Republic on drug abuse and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances till the year 2000” was developed. In August 1999, the President of Azerbaijan promulgated a Decree on Application of the Law on fight against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. Another national programme entitled “Fight against illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors till the year 2006” is under preparation.

A.     Internal Level

       Drug-related Crimes in 1995 – first quarter of 2000*

        * Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Drug Control Department

    Available statistics suggest that the incidence of reported drug-related crimes in 1999 has decreased by 2,6% in comparison with 1998. However, sale of illicit drugs has grown by 18,5%. If in the last year there were 18 cases related to the establishment of dens for narcotics abuse, in the first quarter of the year 2000 there were 12 detected dens.

    From the total number of people detained for the drug-related crimes in the first quarter of 2000 (453 persons), 88% were jobless or not studying, 2% were women, and 2,6% were foreign citizens. 49 foreign citizens were detained for the drug-related crimes in 1999 and 30 in the first six months of 2000. 47% of the total apprehended in 1999 fall on citizens of Iran; the Russian citizens hold the second rate accounting to 23% of the total.

Drug Seizures in 1995- first quarter of 2000 (kg)*

* Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Drug Control Department

    In 1999, there were no considerable seizures of narcotic drugs reportedly. As the above table indicates, although opium and cannabis remain the main drugs being seized by the law enforcement agencies, there is a steady increase in heroin seizures. 47, 249 kilograms of narcotic drugs were confiscated in the first six months of 2000.  

B.     International Level

    Azerbaijan cooperates with the Balkan Sea and Caspian Sea littoral states in tracking and interdicting narcotics shipments, especially morphine base and heroin. Caspian Sea regional cooperation includes efforts to interdict narcotics transported across the Caspian Sea by ferry.

    Memorandum on Understanding has been signed between Azerbaijan and Iran to efficiently combat drug trafficking. The said MOU aims at joint fight against trafficking in narcotic drugs smuggled across the Azeri-Iranian border. 

(V)       Treatment and Rehabilitation

    The State Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center is operational in the country, whereas anonymous and open treatment is provided. The Government has begun education initiatives directed at curbing drug abuse. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have developed and currently implement a new programme to treat drug addicts.

Sources and Publications used in preparing this profile:

    1. Statistics on drug-related crimes, seizures of drugs and illicit cultivation of drug containing crops in 1993-1999 prepared by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

    2. Statistics on drug-related crimes, seizures of drugs and illicit cultivation of drug containing crops in January-March 2000 prepared by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

    3. Two informational notes on drug situation in the Republic of Azerbaijan prepared by the National Coordinator of Azerbaijan.

    4. Summary Record of the ECO-DCCU Task Force Meetings. Tehran, 26 – 28 February 2000.

    5. International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, 1999. Released by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. US Department of State, 1999.

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