Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN1495
2003-03-12 12:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

2002 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY

Tags:  ASEC JO SANR 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 001495 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL, NEA/ARN,
NICOSIA PLEASE PASS TO COUNTRY ATTACHE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC JO SANR
SUBJECT: 2002 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY
REPORT FOR JORDAN


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 001495

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL, NEA/ARN,
NICOSIA PLEASE PASS TO COUNTRY ATTACHE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC JO SANR
SUBJECT: 2002 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY
REPORT FOR JORDAN



1. EMBASSY AMMAN'S SUBMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INSCR) FOLLOWS:

--------------
PART I: SUMMARY
--------------


2. JORDAN REMAINS PRIMARILY A TRANSIT COUNTRY FOR ILLICIT DRUGS
BECAUSE OF ITS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION BETWEEN DRUG PRODUCING
COUNTRIES TO THE NORTH AND DRUG CONSUMING COUNTRIES TO THE
SOUTH AND WEST. IN THE PAST JORDANIANS THEMSELVES DID NOT
PRODUCE NOR CONSUME SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ILLICIT DRUGS.
HOWEVER, JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE NOTED AN INCREASE IN THE
USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN JORDAN. THE PRIMARY DRUG OF CHOICE IN
JORDAN IS HEROIN SMUGGLED IN FROM TURKEY. THE TARGET
CONSUMER IS YOUNG UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL AGED
INDIVIDUALS. THOUGH THE AMOUNTS BELIEVED TO BE CONSUMED ARE
STILL RELATIVELY SMALL IN COMPARISON TO OTHER COUNTRIES, THE
AUTHORITIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIRECTION THIS NEW TREND
IS TAKING AND REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE
PROBLEM. COOPERATION BETWEEN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES,
PARTICULARLY LEBANON AND SYRIA IS ONGOING AND GROWING.
CONVERSELY, COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL IS DECREASING DUE TO THE
CONTINUING HOSTILITIES IN THE WESTBANK. JORDAN IS A PARTY TO THE
1998 UN DRUG CONVENTION, ENFORCES STRICT ANTI-DRUG LAWS AND
CONTINUES TO RECEIVE VARYING DEGREES OF COOPERATION FROM
BORDERING STATES IN NARCOTICS INTERDICTION EFFORTS. END
SUMMARY.

--------------
PART II: STATUS OF COUNTRY
--------------


3. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT JORDAN WILL CHANGE FROM A
NARCOTICS TRANSIT COUNTRY TO A NARCOTICS PRODUCING COUNTRY
IN THE NEAR FUTURE. STATISTICS PROVIDED BY THE PSD ANTI-
NARCOTICS DEPARTMENT SEEM TO CONFIRM THIS ASSESSMENT. JORDAN
CONTINUES TO BE A TRANSIT COUNTRY FOR NARCOTICS, AND REMAINS
VULNERABLE TO ILLICIT DRUG SMUGGLING THROUGH ITS VAST DESERT
BORDERS. JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE INCREASE IN HEROIN
USE AND SALES ARE DRIVEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE SUPPORTING THEIR
HABITS AND NOT NECESSARILY A PROFIT MAKING VENTURE.


4. AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, JORDAN REMAINS A COUNTRY WITHOUT
NARCOTICS RELATED MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS. THE CENTRAL BANK
HOWEVER, HAS INFORMED LOCAL BANKS REGARDING MONEY
LAUNDERING SCHEMES. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FEAR THE LACK
OF SUCH LAWS WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO MORE AGGRESSIVE
TRAFFICKING WITH POTENTIAL FOR MONEY LAUNDERING.

-------------- ---
PART III: COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2002

-------------- ---


5. POLICY INITIATIVES:

IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASED USAGE OF HEROIN AMONG SCHOOL AND
UNIVERSITY AGED INDIVIDUALS, JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE
LAUNCHED A WIDE SPREAD AWARENESS CAMPAIGN IN AN ATTEMPT TO
EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE PERILS OF DRUG USE. LAST YEAR OVER
300 PRESENTATIONS WERE MADE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT SCHOOLS
AND UNIVERSITIES.


6. LAW ENFORCEMENT

JORDAN'S PUBLIC SECURITY DIRECTORATE (PSD) MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE
ANTI-NARCOTICS AND COUNTERFEITING BUREAU. IN 2002 THE BUREAU
ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 16 OFFICERS TO HELP COMBAT THE CONTINUING
NARCOTICS TRANSIT SITUATION AND INCREASING HEROIN USAGE
PROBLEM. FURTHERMORE, THE PSD ARE HOPING TO HOST A REGIONAL
ANTI-NARCOTICS TRAINING SEMINAR IN JULY OF 2003

THOUGH PSD STATISTICS INDICATE A REDUCTION IN HEROIN SEIZURES
AND AN INCREASE IN OPIUM SEIZURES, OFFICIALS ARE CLEARLY MORE
CONCERNED WITH AN INCREASE IN HEROIN USAGE, ESPECIALLY IN THE
MORE AFFLUENT AREA OF AQABA, RAMTHA AND WEST AMMAN.
OFFICIALS REPORT THAT ALTHOUGH THE USAGE OF HEROIN IS STILL
WELL BELOW THAT OF OTHER COUNTRIES, THE TREND IS OBVIOUS AND
THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PROBLEM. ONE
STATISTIC THAT APPEARS TO JUSTIFY THEIR CONCERN INDICATES THAT
TEN YEARS AGO, NO OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE REPORTED IN JORDAN. IN
2002, THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO DRUG OVER
DOSE.

THE PSD MAINTAINS LIAISON CHANNELS WITH COUNTER-NARCOTICS
OFFICERS IN LEBANON AND SYRIA TO INTERCEPT TRANSITIONAL
SHIPMENTS OF DRUGS. THE PSD NARCOTICS LIAISON OFFICER DETAILED
TO THE JORDANIAN EMBASSY IN SAUDI ARABIA CONTINUES TO
COORDINATE NARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS WITH SAUDI COUNTER-
NARCOTICS AUTHORITIES.


7. CORRUPTION:

JORDANIAN OFFICIALS REPORT NO NARCOTIC RELATED CORRUPTION OR
INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO
EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT SENIOR LEVEL OFFICIALS ARE INVOLVED IN
NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING.

8. AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES:

JORDAN REMAINS COMMITTED TO EXISTING BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
PROVIDING FOR SOME COUNTER-NARCOTICS COOPERATION BETWEEN
SYRIA, LEBANON, IRAQ, SAUDI ARABIA, TURKEY, EGYPT, PAKISTAN AND
HUNGARY. JORDAN IS A PARTY TO THE WORLD CUSTOMS
ORGANIZATION'S INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON MUTUAL
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR THE PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION
AND REPRESSION OF CUSTOMS OFFENSES (NAIROBI CONVENTION),ANNEX
X ON ASSISTANCE IN NARCOTICS CASES.


9. CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION:

EXISTING LAWS PROHIBIT THE CULTIVATION AND OR PRODUCTION OF
NARCOTICS IN JORDAN. THESE LAWS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY
ENFORCED.


10. DRUG FLOW AND TRANSIT:

JORDAN HAS BEEN AND REMAINS PRIMARILY A NARCOTICS TRANSIT
COUNTRY. JORDAN IS BORDERED BY NARCOTICS PRODUCING COUNTRIES
TO THE NORTH AND NARCOTICS CONSUMING COUNTRIES TO THE SOUTH
AND WEST. JORDAN'S PRIMARY CHALLENGE IN STEMMING THE FLOW OF
NARCOTICS THROUGH THE COUNTRY REMAINS THE REMOTE, LONG AND
OPEN BORDERS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. WHILE LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONFIRM SUBSTANTIAL COOPERATION WITH
IT'S NEIGHBORS, THE VAST AND DESOLATE BORDER REGIONS AND THE
NOMADIC TRIBES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRAFFICKING OF NARCOTICS
MAKES INTERDICTION EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. NONE OF THE NARCOTICS
TRANSITING JORDAN ARE BELIEVED TO BE DESTINED FOR THE UNITED
STATES.


11. DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES ARE FOCUSED ON AWARENESS AND
EDUCATION, INTERDICTION AND REHABILITATION. JORDANIAN
OFFICIALS HAVE INSTITUTED A ROBUST AWARENESS PROGRAM LARGELY
IN RESPONSE TO THE APPARENT INCREASE IN HEROIN USE. JORDANIAN
AUTHORITIES ARE ALSO INCREASING REHABILITATION ABILITIES. WITH
UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE, JORDAN IS MODERNIZING ITS DRUG
TREATMENT CENTERS TO INCLUDE PRIVATE HOSPITALS.

IN 2001, THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OPENED ITS SECOND REHABILITATION
CENTER, THE NATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTER, IN SHAFRA BEIDA, A
SUBURB OF AMMAN. THE NEW FACILITY OFFERS BEDS FOR THE
TREATMENT OF 60 ADDICTS. FURTHERMORE, INDIVIDUALS TREATED IN
THE FACILITIES WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED ON NARCOTICS RELATED
CHARGES.

FURTHERMORE, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS NORMS CANNOT BE RULED
OUT AS A FACTOR IN THE HELP TO CONTROL DRUG USE. THE ANTI-
NARCOTICS UNIT WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MINISTRY OF
MUSLIM AFFAIRS AND HOLY PLACES, WHICH DIRECTS RELIGIOUS
SPEECHES, LESSONS AND LECTURES ON AWARENESS OF DRUGS AND
THEIR EFFECTS.

--------------
PART IV: USG POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS
--------------


12. POLICY INITIATIVES:

CREATING AN EFFECTIVE JORDANIAN INTERDICTION FORCE REMAINS A
PRIMARY GOAL OF U.S.-JORDAN COOPERATION. THE JORDANIAN
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ITS EFFORTS TO COMBAT PRODUCTION,
TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE OF NARCOTICS. JORDANIAN OFFICIALS ALSO
CONFIRM THE GOVERNMENTS COMMITMENT TOWARDS PREVENTION AND
TREATMENT IN ORDER TO STEM THE SPREAD OF NARCOTICS IN JORDAN.


13. BILATERAL COOPERATION:

DEA COUNTRY ATTACHI IN CYPRUS AND NARCOR HAVE A CLOSE
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH JORDAN AUTHORITIES ON NARCOTICS
RELATED MATTERS. THE UNITED STATES AND JORDAN DO NOT HAVE A
BILATERAL NARCOTICS AGREEMENT.


14. THE ROAD AHEAD:

EMBASSY OFFICIALS EXPECT CONTINUED COOPERATION WITH
JORDANIAN OFFICIALS IN ANTI-NARCOTICS RELATED ISSUES.

--------------
PART V: STATISTICAL TABLES
--------------


13. AS JORDAN DOES NOT GROW NOR PRODUCE ILLICIT DRUGS.
THERE ARE NO STATISTICS REGARDING THE CULTIVATION AND
ERADICATION OF ILLICIT DRUGS

CALENDAR YEAR -- 2000 -- 2001 -- 2002
SEIZURES:


A. HASHISH 298.456KG 788.731KG 866.407KG

B. HEROIN 127.713KG 35.528KG 14.666KG

C. OPIUM 41.150KG 0.327KG 19.326KG

D. COCAINE 0.804KG 0.203KG 0.188KG

CASES: 851 1241 128

--------------
MONEY LAUNDERING
--------------


14. MONEY LAUNDERING AS RELATED TO NARCOTICS IS NOT A CRIME IN
JORDAN. JORDANIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REMAIN
SUPPORTIVE OF SUCH LEGISLATION. HOWEVER, OFFICIALS DO NOT
BELIEVE JORDAN IS CURRENTLY A COUNTRY TARGETED BY MONEY
LAUNDERS.


15. THERE ARE NO LAWS COMPELLING FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO
ADVISE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS OF LARGE CURRENCY DEPOSITS
OR OTHER SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS IN RELATION TO NARCOTICS
CRIMES. HOWEVER, JORDANIAN SOURCES REPORT SOME COOPERATION
BETWEEN PROSECUTORS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CONCERNING
REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL DATA RELATED TO NARCOTICS CRIMES.
JORDAN IS NOT CONSIDERED A REGIONAL FINANCIAL CENTER.

--------------
CHEMICAL CONTROL
--------------


16. THERE IS NO CONFIRMED PRODUCTION OF PRECURSOR OR ESSENTIAL
CHEMICALS IN JORDAN. THERE WERE NO REPORTED SEIZURES OF
CHEMICALS OR MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IN 2002.

GNEHM