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The Republic of Tajikistan lies in the heart of Central Asia and is bordered to the north by Kyrgyzstan, by China to the East, by Afghanistan to the South, and by Uzbekistan to the west and northwest. The territory of the country is 143,100 square kilometers and population based on a mid-2000 estimate is 6,25 million. Tajikistan is the smallest state in Central Asia; however, it encloses more and higher mountains than any other country in the region. The capital of Tajikistan is Dushanbe.

The greater availability of illicit drugs entering the country from Afghanistan as well as strict governmental control contributed to the decline in local cultivation as the risk of growing illicit crops was greater than the risk of dealing in cheap and easily available illicit drugs from across the border. From May 10^th to 25^th November 1999, annual opium poppy eradication operation was carried out in the Republic. In the course of this operation, 940 cases of illicit cultivation of the drug containing crops on the area of 134,5 hectares were revealed. 290 criminal probes were opened; 852,97 kilos of different narcotic drugs were confiscated. Wildly growing drug containing crops were found on the area of 112,5 hectares.

Cannabis: Cannabis and opium poppy grows wild in the mountainous regions of Penjikent and Gorno-Badakhshan in Tajikistan. Tajik wild cannabis has a very low THC content and is rarely harvested for illicit drug use. Most cannabis located and subsequently eradicated during the annual black poppy operations is eradicated and is found in either house gardens or hidden amongst legitimate crops. 9 districts of three provinces were surveyed in 1999 by the UN ODCCP. 86 per cent of the cannabis found was in mountain pastures. Each cannabis field found usually has only a few plants and is generally grown by drug users for their own use. Cannabis cultivation found in 1999 was 3,2 hectares capable of producing 666 kilos of marijuana or 23 kilos of hashish. As a result of black poppy eradication operation-99, illicitly cultivated cannabis was eradicated on the area of eight hectares.

Opium: There is very limited cultivation of opiate crops in the country. Tajikistan produces a small amount of opium, primarily in the Aini and Penjikent districts close to the Uzbekistan border. There are two or three opium poppy harvests each year. In 1999, less cultivation was reported due to the gradual tightening of the governmental control over previous poppy cultivating areas in the north of the country. During black poppy operation 1999, the Tajik law enforcement agencies eradicated fourteen hectares under opium poppy. In eight districts covered by the UN ODCCP survey, opium poppy cultivation in the country declined from an estimated 9,32 hectares in 1998 to an estimated 1,73 hectares in 1999. Out of the opium poppy plots located over 86% were in mountainous pastures.

The geographic location of Tajkistan is very conductive to keep its territory as a transit route for opiates and cannabis products from Afghanistan to Europe. Volume of drugs smuggled via the republic is increasing. The political and economic instability, imperfection of legislation and transparency of the Tajik/Afghan border also condition increasing illicit drug trafficking. Tajikistan, as other Central Asian states, is also used as a transit country for smuggling chemicals (in particular, acetic anhydride) used in illicit heroin manufacture into Afghanistan and other countries in Southwest Asia. The analysis of border guard posts activity provides the reasons to expect rise in drug flow in the near future because of favourable conditions of crossing the Tajik-Chinese border. This route may be used for transportation of drugs from China, as well as transit of drugs from Pakistan and Afghanistan by means of Karakorum road.

Clandestine laboratories manufacturing heroin and morphine mostly situated in Nangarhar and Hellmand areas of Afghanistan, close to border with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. As before, drugs are mainly routed from Afghanistan in the Shuroabad, Mocsowski, Pyanj, Shaartuz directions of the Hatlon District and also via the Badakhshan region. Almost 90 per cent of narcotic drugs are transported in these directions. The importance of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous region for the trafficking of illicit drugs is declining while that of Khatlon province in the south of the province, which borders Kunduz province of Afghanistan, is increasing. Drugs passing through Khatlon are either directly sent to the Sourkhan Darya province of Uzbekistan, or are sent to Dushanbe for onward delivery to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It is indicated that drug trafficking into Kyrgyzstan is increasingly taking place via the Garm and Pendjikent areas of Tajikistan into Batken area of Kyrgyzstan.

The Afghan opium and heroin are moved into Russia by train, car and airplane. Declining seizure of opium and considerable seizures of heroin indicate a changing trend in drug trafficking towards more expensive and easier transported heroin. In early March 2000, during a check in the territory of the Russian Federation of a Tajik bus on the Khujand – Yekaterinburg route the customs officers noticed freshly welded joints in the luggage compartment. When the joints were opened the customs officers found 45 kg of heroin. The same day, a search of another bus revealed 39 kg of heroin. In June 2000, 40 kilos of heroin were confiscated by the Uzbek Customs officials on a Dushanbe – Moscow passenger train during an examination in the town of Sary Assiye. Tajik law enforcement officers found 3,75 kilos of heroin in a car owned by a Russian national in Khujand City. 48,3 kilos of heroin were confiscated by Tajik Security officers from a Tajik national at the Khujand Airport.

Given the reduction of border forces in the republic, the longer and more risky route via Iran due to law enforcement troops deployed along Iran/Afgan/Pakistan border, and the 1998 opening of a new road between eastern Tajikistan and China, which produces chemicals, the drug situation in the republic is of great concern.

Drug addicts and users registered in 1999 – 2000 *

One of the most tragic results of illicit drug trafficking through the territory of Tajikistan is the increase of drug abuse among its population. Opium and cannabis are the main drugs of abuse. But for the last three years heroin abuse has rapidly increased and become the drug of choice. Basically, drug users are unemployed and those who do not study of 14 to 30 years old. 61% of all registered drug users live in Dushanbe. Within the framework of two Projects, namely “Woman and Drugs” and “Illicit drugs markets research”, a survey was carried out among students of the Dushanbe universities and patients of the republican drug abuse treatment center.

With the financial support of international organizations, the State Drug Control Agency takes actions on prevention of drug abuse in the country. Every month an anti-narcotics programme “From curiosity towards Disaster” is broadcasted on the national Tajik TV. There is a special monthly radio-magazine “We are for a drug-free future!”. Harmful consequences of drug abuse are elucidated in the press, several radio and TV programmes. A number of seminars, such as “Drug abuse prevention among teens”, “Peculiarities of narcotics influence on women”, “Family against narcotics”, “Rights of women”, “Role of school teachers in the drug abuse prevention” were held jointly with the non-governmental organizations operational in the Republic. With the purpose of propaganda of healthy life-style and raise of public drug awareness, a number of sport tournaments were held in the Republic.

A Project “School against narcotics” stipulating the drug awareness education at schools has been developed and is currently being implemented. Training of specialists in the field of drug abuse prevention has been started in the Institute of Advanced Training of Teachers under the Ministry of education.

A. At the Internal Level

In December 1999, the Parliament of the Republic of Tajikistan passed a Law on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. Second National Master Plan on Drug Control for the years 1999 – 2000 is currently being implemented. A number of documents and a draft decree on the establishment of a database on drug-related crimes were developed, which along with proposals of the concerned ministries and agencies have been forwarded to the Security Council of Tajikistan.

A Narcotic Control Agency under the President has been established on 1 June 1999 with the UN support and technical assistance. The Drug Control Agency is a law enforcement agency with a mandate to combat illegal drug trafficking and empowered with full-scale investigation capacity and coordination of drug control activities of all law enforcement agencies in the republic. The Agency has 350 staff and offices in three regions. It is divided into units, which include Administrative, Operational, Investigative, Analysis, Special Task Force and Medical services. Building of a drug forensic laboratory under the Drug Control Agency with the purpose analyses, storage and destruction of narcotics has been started in August 2000.

Proposals on amendment of 10 laws of the Republic have been worked out and submitted for the consideration of the Supreme Legislative Body of Tajikistan. Draft decrees of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, namely “List of the narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors” and “Regulations on licensing of the activity in the field of licit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors” were developed. Another draft decree of the Government of Tajikistan titled “Ratification of the sectoral normative acts regulating trafficking in precursors” and five departmental documents regulating spheres of activity of the Drug Control Agency were also elaborated.

The considerable increase in drug-related delinquency is observed in Dushanbe and the Khatlon Province caused by the intensive drug flow. 2105 drug-related crimes were registered in 1999 versus 1508 in 1998 or 10 per cent of the total crimes committed in the country. Over six months of 2000 alone, 1202 criminal drug-related proceedings were registered. Mobile groups were organized at the Moscowscko-Shurobad and Karategin directions in order to block the drug flow from Afghanistan into Tajikistan.

75 kilometers of the Tajik-Afghan border are protected by the Tajik Border Guard Service, which was created in February 1997. In 1999, the Tajik border guards prevented 79 attempts of violating the Tajik-Afghan border, detained 280 trespassers, and 15 violators were killed in illegal crossing the border, more than 700 kg of narcotics were confiscated.

As reported by the Chief of Russian Border Force in Tajikistan major general A. Markin, in 1999 Russian Border guards confiscated 568,9 kg of narcotics, including 384,2 kg of heroin, 49 pieces of firearms, more than US$ 15000 and detained 262 violators of border. The Border Forces had 29 armed confrontations with trespassers were attacked 35 times. In seven months of 2000, Russian Border Guards seized almost 500 kilograms of narcotic drugs, in particular 270 kilos of heroin. About 390 kilos of narcotic drugs fall on Moscow District alone, including 180 kilos heroin. 140 people were detained for the illegal border crossing. There were 27 clashes with armed drug couriers, compared with 29 during the whole 1999.1

B. At the International Level

Tajikistan is party to all three UN Anti-Narcotics Conventions. Tajikistan’s membership in Interpol is under consideration.

In October 1998, the Republic has acceded to the Central Asian Counter-Narcotics Agreement. The Republic is also an active member of an Inter-governmental Central Asian Drug Control Commission. In April 2000, Tajikistan signed a Central Asian Treaty on joint efforts to combat terrorism, political and religious extremism, transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking. In July 2000, Tajikistan hosted the first meeting of the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Treaty States, whereas illicit drug trafficking was one of the topics discussed.

Bilateral agreements on combating illicit drug trafficking and drug abuse have been signed with China and Kazakhstan. Similar bilateral agreements are ready to be signed by the Governments of Tajikistan, Italy and Austria.

A Plan on Joint Action has been signed with the Frontier Guard Group of Russian Federal Border Service deployed in the Republic of Tajikistan. It is planned to sign bilateral protocols on joint action in the field of drug control with the Ministry of Interior, Federal Security Service and Federal Border Service of Russia.

The several seminars were held with the financial assistance of the Embassies of USA, Germany, Great Britain in Dushanbe, during which a number of Tajik law enforcement officers received an advanced training.

The implementation of the UN ODCCP Projects such as “Strengthening of the law enforcement capacities and cross border cooperation in the Central Asian Region” (Kyrghyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and “Mapping the extent and monitoring of illicit cultivation in Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan and Tajikistan” are already completed. In September 1999, a new UN ODCCP Project titled “Strengthening of the border control on the Tajik – Afghan border” was launched.

V. Treatment and Rehabilitation

Drug abusers who have been treated in the drug treatment clinics of Tajikistan *

Second Government Plan on Drug Control for 1999 – 2000 includes several provisions for drug treatment and social rehabilitation. Drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation take place in the republican drug abuse treatment center in Dushanbe with 106 beds, and its branches in provinces. Treatment methods are out of date and sorely in need of modernization. An adequate treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts is complicated by lack of government funds and deteriorating economy. According to the expert’s estimates, the real number of the drug users in the country is 10-15 times higher. A drug abuser is treated only in case of his own or his relatives’ decision. The experts believe that it is urgent necessity to pass a law on drug abuse treatment.

1. Informative notes on drug situation in Tajikistan in 1999-2000 prepared by the State Drug Control Agency of the Republic of Tajikistan.

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

4. Report on the ECO-DCCU Mission to the DCCU Focal Points in the ECO Member States taken in April-May 2000.

5. Informational Bulletin on drug situation in Central Asian region. No.1 for 2000.

6. Informational Bulletin on drug situation in Central Asian region. No.1 for 1999.

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

1 - Press Conference on the activities of the Russian Border Force in 1999 held on 14 January 2000;

“Moscow News” 26 August, 2000.

DRAFT COUNTRY PROFILE 1999-2000

OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN

Drug addicts and users registered in 1999 – 2000 *

A. At the Internal Level

B. At the International Level

V. Treatment and Rehabilitation

Drug abusers who have been treated in the drug treatment clinics of Tajikistan *

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