SLOVAKIA: NARCOTICS REPORT PART I

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 001138

SIPDIS


STATE FOR INL
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, AND NDDS
TREASURY FOR FINCEN
DEA FOR OILS AND OFFICE OF DIVERSION CONTROL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA: NARCOTICS REPORT PART I

REF: STATE 248987

SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
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1. SLOVAKIA LIES AT THE CROSSROADS OF TWO MAJOR DRUG TRANSIT
ROUTES, THE TRADITIONAL EAST-WEST ROUTES FROM UKRAINE AND
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE HISTORIC "BALKAN ROUTE,"
WHICH RUNS FROM SOUTHWEST ASIA TO TURKEY AND ON TO GERMANY,
FRANCE, AND OTHER WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. THE GOS IS A
PARTY TO THE 1988 UN DRUG CONVENTION. END SUMMARY.

STATUS OF COUNTRY
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2. LEVELS OF BOTH CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION OF NARCOTICS IN
SLOVAKIA REMAIN RELATIVELY LOW, HOWEVER, IT HAS A FULLY
DEVELOPED DOMESTIC MARKET FOR NARCOTICS. DEMAND FOR
STIMULANTS, MAINLY PERVITIN AND ECSTASY, IS RAPIDLY GROWING,
AND THEIR USE, ALONG WITH THAT OF MARIJUANA, IS QUICKLY
SPREADING INTO SMALLER SLOVAK TOWNS.


3. THE GOS REMAINS CONCERNED THAT SLOVAKIA IS A
TRANSSHIPMENT POINT FOR SMUGGLED DRUGS AND CONCENTRATES ITS
INTERDICTION EFFORTS ON EAST-WEST SMUGGLING FROM UKRAINE AND
RUSSIA. RUSSIAN ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS TRAFFIC AFGHAN HEROIN
AND PEACEFULLY COOPERATE WITH THE ESTABLISHED ALBANIAN
CRIMINAL GROUPS USING THE BALKAN ROUTE. THE ALBANIAN
COMMUNITY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE HEROIN TRADE IN THE
REGION, AND THEY MAINLY USE THE SOUTHERN BALKAN ROUTE
THROUGH BULGARIA AND CROATIA.


4. EU ACCESSION AND MORE OPEN BORDERS HAVE CREATED
CONDITIONS FOR DRUG-RELATED ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS TO TAKE
ROOT IN SLOVAKIA, AND MOST OF THEM ARE BASED ON ETHNIC
PRINCIPLES. STREET SALES HAVE NOT TAKEN ROOT IN SLOVAKIA,
AND THE ROMA COMMUNITY DOMINATES DOMESTIC DRUG DISTRIBUTION
BY SELLING DRUGS FROM THEIR HOMES. ALBANIAN GROUPS SUPPLY
THE ROMA SELLERS.

COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS IN 2004
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5. POLICY INITIATIVES: THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE FIGHT
AGAINST DRUGS WAS REVISED FOR 2004-2008 AND REPRESENTS A
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO REDUCE DRUG USE. THE GOS ALSO
ESTABLISHED A MINISTERIAL COUNCIL FOR DRUG DEPENDENCIES AND
DRUG CONTROL, WHICH IS MAINLY FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND
PREVENTION. LAW ENFORCEMENT MINISTRIES PARTICIPATE AND
IMPLEMENT THEIR PARTS OF THE PLAN INDEPENDENTLY.


6. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2004, THERE WERE
597 DRUG-RELATED CRIMINAL CASES IN SLOVAKIA. THE NUMBER OF
CASES INVOLVING SYNTHETIC NARCOTICS INCREASED 42.67 PERCENT
COMPARED WITH THE FIRST HALF OF 2003, AND THE SHARE OF
SYNTHETIC DRUGS IN OVERALL DRUG-RELATED CRIMES WAS 28.6
PERCENT, UP FROM 19.2 PERCENT IN 2003. METHAMPHETAMINES
(PRECURSOR TO PERVITIN) ACCOUNTED FOR MUCH OF THE INCREASE.
THE NATIONAL ANTI-DRUG UNIT (NADU) INVESTIGATED 18 CASES IN
BRATISLAVA AND 23 CASES IN OTHER REGIONS, REPRESENTING A 29
PERCENT DECREASE FROM 2003.


7. LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS: THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR (MOI)
UNDERWENT COMPREHENSIVE ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING IN

2004. THE CRIMINAL AND FINANCIAL POLICE, IN WHICH THE NADU
IS LOCATED, MERGED WITH THE MOI'S SECURITY POLICE. SLOVAK
AUTHORITIES HOPE THE RESTRUCTURING WILL FACILITATE BETTER
COMMUNICATION AND SHORTEN INVESTIGATIONS. A SPECIALIZED
POLICE AGENCY TARGETING ORGANIZED CRIME IS ALSO PART OF THE
REORGANIZATION. IN THIS RE-ORGANIZATION, THE NADU LOST SOME
OF ITS AUTHORITY AND IS RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR THE BRATISLAVA
REGION AS A PART OF THE OFFICE FOR FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME
(OFOC). OTHER REGIONAL ANTI-DRUG UNITS HAVE BEEN
INCORPORATED INTO THE OFOC, BUT THEY DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH
THE NADU. CONTRARY TO THE 2000 GOS' RESOLUTION THAT CALLED
FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NADU'S STAFF FROM 150 TO 250
PERSONNEL, THE MOI DOWNSIZED THE UNIT TO 35 PEOPLE WHEN THE
MOI MADE IT RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR THE BRATISLAVA REGION.


8. CORRUPTION: SLOVAKIA HAS MADE MAJOR LEGISLATIVE STRIDES
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION. OFFICIALS SERIOUS ABOUT
CREATING TRANSPARENT RULES AND PROSECUTING ABUSES HAVE BEEN
PUT IN KEY POSITIONS, A NEW CONFLICT OF INTEREST LAW PASSED
IN 2004, AND A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AND COURT TO FIGHT
CORRUPTION WERE INSTITUTED. THE HEAD OF THE GOS' ANTI-
CORRUPTION OFFICE IS A NOTED HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER WHO
LIBERALIZED THE USE OF "STING" OPERATIONS AND INTRODUCED A
"WHISTLE BLOWER" STATUTE TO PROTECT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO
TALK TO INVESTIGATORS ABOUT CORRUPTION IN THEIR OFFICES.
SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THESE MEASURES PUT IN PLACE REMAINS
A CHALLENGE.


9. AGREEMENTS OR TREATIES: SLOVAKIA IS A PARTY TO THE 1988
UN DRUG CONVENTION, THE 1961 UN SINGLE CONVENTION ON


NARCOTIC DRUGS, THE 1972 PROTOCOL AMENDING THE SINGLE
CONVENTION, AND THE 1971 UN CONVENTION ON PSYCHOTROPIC
SUBSTANCES. THE EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN CZECHOSLOVAKIA
AND THE UNITED STATES HAS CONTINUED IN FORCE BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES AND SLOVAKIA. SLOVAKIA HAS RATIFIED THE UN
CONVENTION AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME AND HAS
SIGNED THE PROTOCOL TO PREVENT, SUPPRESS AND PUNISH
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AS WELL AS THE PROTOCOL AGAINST THE
SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS.


10. CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION: THE NADU REPORTS THAT MARIJUANA
CULTIVATION HAS INCREASED IN ALL REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY, AND
SEVERAL GROUPS ARE GROWING HIGH-QUALITY MARIJUANA IN
LABORATORY CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF MARIJUANA
USED IN SLOVAKIA IS STILL IMPORTED FROM MOROCCO, LEBANON,
INDIA, PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT
HEROIN IS BEING PRODUCED IN SLOVAKIA. SLOVAK MDMA (ECSTASY)
USE HAS INCREASED, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN FEW REPORTS OF
ITS PRODUCTION WITHIN THE COUNTRY. ON THE OTHER HAND,
PERVITIN IS PRODUCED FOR MAINLY DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION, AND
CZECH "EXPERTS" ARE HIRED AND CONSULTED ON PRODUCTION
METHODS. IN RECENT YEARS, POLICE HAVE DISCOVERED 20 TO 30
SYNTHETIC DRUG LABORATORIES ANNUALLY.


11. DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT: THE SHARED BORDER WITH HUNGARY AND
UKRAINE WAS THE SITE OF THE GREATEST NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS TO
ENTER SLOVAKIA WITH ILLEGAL NARCOTICS. THE GREATEST NUMBER
OF ATTEMPTS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS OUT OF SLOVAKIA HAPPENED AT THE
CZECH AND AUSTRIAN BORDERS.


12. DOMESTIC PROGRAMS: ACCORDING TO THE 2003 MINI-DUBLIN
GROUP REPORT, THE GOS IS AMONG THE HIGHEST SPENDERS ON
PREVENTATIVE ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO PER CAPITA GNP.
CENTERS FOR EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PREVENTION FOCUS ON
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CONCERNING DRUG USE AND FUNCTION IN HALF
OF THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICTS OF SLOVAKIA. THE SLOVAK
HEALTHCARE SERVICE HAS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND OFFERS SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM TREATMENT.

U.S. POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS
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13. BILATERAL COOPERATION: AS IN PRIOR YEARS, SLOVAK LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE COURSES, FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. THE
CLASSES WERE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE RESISTANCE TO
CORRUPTIVE INFLUENCES AT THE WORKING LEVEL AND TO IMPROVE
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AND ORGANIZED CRIME
DETECTION/INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS. POST'S EXPORT CONTROL AND
BORDER SECURITY PROGRAM PROVIDED NUMEROUS TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR SLOVAK CUSTOMS OFFICERS. THE
TWO MOST EFFECTIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS WERE THE FOUR WEEKS OF
JOINT TRAINING WITH CZECH OFFICERS ON THE CZECH-SLOVAK
BORDER AND A SIMILAR PROGRAM ON THE SLOVAK-UKRAINIAN BORDER.


14. THE ROAD AHEAD: THE USG WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE
GOS TO ADEQUATELY BUDGET FOR NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT AND TO
MAINTAIN ITS TOUGH STANCE ON DRUG INTERDICTION.

THAYER


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