DRAFT COUNTRY PROFILE 1999-2000

OF  UZBEKISTAN

  Topography:

The Republic of Uzbekistan is situated in the central and northwestern part of Central Asia. The total area of the country is 448,900 square kilometers and population based on a 1998 estimate is 23.7 million. Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north (2203 km), Kyrgyzstan (1099 km) and Tajikistan (1161 km) to the east and southeast, Afghanistan to the south (137 km), and Turkmenistan to the southwest (1161 km). Tashkent is a capital of Uzbekistan.

(I)            Cultivation, Production and Supply

As a result of the comprehensive operation “Black Poppy-99”, 1168 crimes related to the illegal cultivation of the drug containing crops were unfolded; illegally drug containing crops were found on the area of 5,4 hectares; 664,8 kilos of narcotic drugs were confiscated. 11 thousand officers of the interior agencies of the Republic were engaged in this operation. A wide-scale eradication operation “Black Poppy-2000” was launched by Uzbek law enforcement agencies on 1 May 2000.

Cannabis:   24,1 hectares under the wild growing cannabis were revealed and eradicated in 1999. 

Opium:  Due to the measures taken-over the past five years, the area under illegally cultivated opium poppy has been decreased. Whereas the drug containing crops were found on the area of 444 hectares in 1994, the figure for 1999  decreased to 2,7 hectares.

(II)             Illicit Drug Trafficking

Opium and cannabis products originating in Southwest Asia and bound for Russia and Europe take several routes across the Uzbek territory. Precursor chemicals travel the same routes in reverse on their way to heroin laboratories in Afghanistan.

Smuggling of Afghan drugs into Uzbekistan through its border has become more organized and armed. The volume of drugs transiting Uzbekistan continues to grow. According to the data of the State Customs Committee, the volume of drugs, which have been transported via this country in 1999 increased three times in comparison with the previous year from 873,6 kilos to 2754,8 kilos. It is observed that attempts to smuggle heroin and opium in big consignments from Tajikistan and Turkmenistan through the customs posts of Surkhandarinskaya, Tashkentskaya, Samarkandskaya and Khoresm Provinces have become more frequent. There is a considerable increase of heroin smuggled in large quantities from Tajikistan to Russia via the Uzbek territory by railways and vehicles. Uzbek law enforcement officials regularly apprehend drug smugglers on the Dushanbe-Moscow train.

Narcotics are mainly concealed under the clothes, in the luggage or in the body cavities. The number of “live containers”, or those who swallow drugs and carry them in their stomach is increasing. In most cases, drug couriers are the citizens of Tajikistan. In 1999, apprehended drug couriers from Tajikistan amounted to 66,3 percent of the total number of apprehended foreigners. Drug criminals more often use teenagers, women and old people for drug smuggling.

(III)     Drug Abuse

According to the Ministries of Health and Interior, by the mid 1999, there were 23,000 drug users and 318 toxic substances abusers officially registered in the Republic. 4499 people are under the prophylactic observation due to the non-medical use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. By January 2000, there were 16 drug addicts per 100.000 population (in 1998 – 11,56) or three times more than in 1995. Drug user age varies from 18 to 40 or 72,2% of the total number of drug users. Women comprise 6,4% of the drug users; 36,8 percent live in the rural areas; 56,8% are jobless and only 21% are employees. The main drug of abuse is cannabis and its locally produced derivatives. The number of opium and heroin addicts is increasing. 80 percent of HIV patients are drug users. Demand reduction is limited to the compulsory treatment of addicts. Annually, 17 – 20 percent of the convicts are subject to a compulsory drug addiction treatment.

(IV)     Fight Against Illicit Drugs

A.     At the Internal Level

A comprehensive Law on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors was adopted in August 1999, which aims at strengthening fight against illicit drug trafficking and control over the licit drug trafficking. Despite present economic difficulties in the country, the Government of Uzbekistan annually allocates US$ 10 million for drug control. In July 1998, the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan became a law enforcement agency with arrest authority. The National Dog Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan became operational in 1997. Advanced trainings on detection of narcotic drugs, weapons, ammunition and explosives; investigation and patrolling are delivered in this center. The State Drug Control Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan and its executive body, i.e. National Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers are responsible for coordinating drug-control efforts in the ecountry.

    Drug Seizures in Uzbekistan in 1995-1999 (kg)*

   * Annual Report 1999, ODCCP Regional Office for Central Asia

Uzbekistan has achieved considerable success in intercepting precursors, chemicals used in drug production. In 1997 – 1998, the Uzbek authorities have seized 70 tons of precursors bound for laboratories in Southwest Asia.

Whereas in 1998 narcotics belonging to morphine group, such as opium and heroin came to 30 per cent from the total number of seized drugs, in 1999 this figure amounted to 85,9 per cent, and for the first half of 2000 – more than 86,3%. Attempts to smuggle heroin and opium in large consignments have become more frequent. Thus, in June 2000, the Uzbek law enforcement officials found 43,533 kilos of heroin and 1,822 kilos of opium under the floor of dining car of the Dushanbe – Moscow passenger train No 223. In August 2000, 439 kilos of opium and 42 kilos of heroin were found in the fuel tank of “KamAZ” truck.

8,900 drug-related crimes were registered in 1999 (5030 cases fro the first half of 2000), which is 10-12 per cent from a total number of all committed crimes in the country and 7 per cent more than in 1998. 180 dens for drug abuse were detected in the last year. 584 foreign citizens were taken to the court for the drug-related crimes, mainly citizens of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. According to some experts, the introduction of capital punishment for a narcotics seller has significantly impacted the illegal drug situation. This penalty is provided for illegal sale of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in large quantities under aggravating circumstances.

B.     At the International Level         

The Republic of Uzbekistan has acceded to all three UN Conventions on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. In January 2000, Uzbekistan acceded to the Central Asian Counter Narcotics Memorandum. In March 2000, the official Uzbek delegation visited Brussels to discuss the expanding cooperation with the European Commission. The fight against narcotics trafficking was one of the main topics discussed. Uzbekistan signed drug control agreements with Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan and the USA. In June 2000, Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in combating illicit drug trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was signed between the Governments of Uzbekistan and I.R. of Iran.

A number of UN ODCCP Projects are currently being implemented, including Project on prevention of precursors delivery to Afghanistan; Project on development of safe biological control methods for the eradication of illicit opium poppy and cannabis, which is being implemented by the Institute for Genetics and Experimental Biology of the Uzbek Academy of Science. Uzbekistan along with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is also involved in the Project on strengthening the law enforcement capacities and cross border cooperation in the Central Asian region.    

V.    Treatment and Rehabilitation.

Every year 250 – 300 drug addicts go under compulsory treatment. According to the experts, the real number of the drug addicts to be treated is much higher. The Government of Uzbekistan has developed and is implementing several national programs aimed to prevent drug abuse. The National Drug Control Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan jointly with the “Kamolot” Youth Foundation have developed a programme entitled “Youth to the drug free XXI century”. This programme includes drug awareness activity among youth and propaganda of a healthy life-style.  

  Sources/publications used in preparing this profile:

 1. Summary Record of the Joint ECO-UNDCP Legal Training Workshop, Tehran, 1-5    March 1999.

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

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

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

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

6. International Narcotics Control Board Report for 1998 and 1999.

7.   UN ODCCP, "Global illicit drug trends", 1999.

8.  Interpol, “Worldwide Report. Cannabis”, 1997.

9. Interpol, “Global Heroin Traffic”, 1997.

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

11. "The Times of Central Asia" 1999 - 2000.

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