2003 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 000121

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SNAR JO
SUBJECT: 2003 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY
REPORT FOR JORDAN



1. EMBASSY AMMAN'S SUBMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT 2003 (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 NEITHER
PRODUCED NOR CONSUMED 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
CONSUMERS ARE YOUNG UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL AGED
INDIVIDUALS. ALTHOUGH 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. COOPERATION WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES,
PARTICULARLY LEBANON AND SYRIA, IS ONGOING AND GROWING.
CONVERSELY, COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL IS DECREASING DUE TO THE
CONTINUING VIOLENCE IN THE WEST BANK. 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 PUBLIC SECURITY
DIRECTORATE (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 IS DRIVEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE
SUPPORTING THEIR HABITS AND NOT NECESSARILY AS A PROFIT
MAKING VENTURE.


PART III: COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2003



4. 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. AUTHORITIES
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HUNDREDS OF EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS IN
SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.


5. LAW ENFORCEMENT:

JORDAN'S PSD MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE ANTI-NARCOTICS AND COUNTER-
FEITING BUREAU. THE PSD CONTINUES TO WORK CLOSELY WITH U.S.
ANTI-NARCOTICS AGENCIES.

PSD STATISTICS INDICATE A MARKED INCREASE IN HEROIN SEIZURES
AND OFFICIALS ARE CLEARLY 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.

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.


6. CORRUPTION:

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


7. 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.

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


9. 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 AND OPEN
BORDERS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICIALS CONFIRM SUBSTANTIAL COOPERATION WITH ITS NEIGHBORS,
THE DESOLATE BORDER REGIONS AND THE NOMADIC TRIBES ASSOCIATED
WITH THE TRAFFICKING OF NARCOTICS (WITH A CENTURIES OLD
TRADITION OF SMUGGLING AS A PRINICPLE SOURCE OF INCOME)
MAKE INTERDICTION EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. NONE OF THE NARCOTICS
TRANSITING JORDAN IS BELIEVED TO BE DESTINED FOR THE UNITED
STATES. PRIMARY FOCUS AND CONCERN REMAIN THE CONTROL AND
POLICING OF THE OPEN BORDERS BETWEEN ALL ITS NEIGHBORS. TO
DATE, JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE SEEN NO TRANSIT OF NARCOTICS
ACROSS THE IRAQI BORDER SINCE THE WAR ENDED. HOWEVER, PSD
OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND HOW CHANGES
IN IRAQ MAY EFFECT DRUG TRAFFICKING.


10. 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. INDIVIDUALS TREATED IN THE FACILITIES
ARE IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION ON NARCOTICS RELATED CHARGES.

CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS NORMS HELP TO CONTROL DRUG USE. THE
ANTI-NARCOTICS UNIT WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MINISTRY
OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS AND HOLY PLACES, WHICH DIRECTS SERMONS,
LESSONS AND LECTURES ON AWARENESS OF DRUGS AND THEIR EFFECTS.


PART IV: USG POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS


11. 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
CONFIRM THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TOWARDS PREVENTION AND
TREATMENT IN ORDER TO STEM THE SPREAD OF NARCOTICS IN JORDAN.
DEA IS CURRENTLY PLANNING A NARCOTICS TRAINING COURSE TO
BE CONDUCTED IN JORDAN IN MARCH 2004.


12. 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.


13. THE ROAD AHEAD:

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


PART V: STATISTICAL TABLES



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

CALENDAR YEAR 2001 2002 2003
SEIZURES: THRU SEPT


A. HASHISH 788.731KG 866.407KG 3679KG

B. HEROIN 35.528KG 14.666KG 104KG

C. OPIUM 0.327KG 19.326KG 0KG

D. COCAINE 0.203KG 0.188KG 9KG
CASES: 1241 1283 1065

MONEY LAUNDERING


15/16. THIS CATEGORY HAS BEEN SUBMITTED SEPARATELY TO INL/C/CP.

CHEMICAL CONTROL



17. THERE IS NO CONFIRMED PRODUCTION OF PRECURSOR OR ESSENTIAL
CHEMICALS IN JORDAN. THERE WERE NO REPORTED SEIZURES OF
CHEMICALS OR MANUFACTURING FACILITIES IN 2003.
GNEHM