INCSR Part I from Belarus

UNCLAS MINSK 001487

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

Justice for OIA, AFMLS, and NDDS
Treasury for FinCen
DEA for Oils and Officer of Diversion Control
For INL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: INCSR Part I from Belarus



1. I. Summary.
Belarus continues to grow in importance as a transit country
for drugs. Local drug use and drug-related crime rates
continue to increase. Belarus does not produce drugs for
export, though it may be a source of precursor chemicals.
With the help of other nations and organizations, Belarus is
improving its efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking,
but corruption, and lack of organization, funding and
equipment continue to hinder progress. Belarus is a
recipient of the EU/UNDP program BUMAD (Belarus, Ukraine,
Moldova Anti-Drug Programme),which seeks to reduce
trafficking of drugs into the European Union. The program,
which just launched phase two of its three part project,
seeks to develop systems of prevention and monitoring,
improve the legal framework, and provide training and
equipment. It is the most significant counter narcotics
program in Belarus at this time. Belarus is a party to the
1988 UN Drug Convention.

2. II. Status of Country.
Drugs increasingly transit Belarus on their way to points
east, west and north due to Belarus' porous borders and good
railway and road system. This trade is facilitated by
Belarus' customs union with Russia, and the resultant lack
of border controls between Belarus and Russia. The
formation of the Eurasian Economic Community (Belarus,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan) has the
potential to create a broader border-free area, which would
facilitate all types of trafficking.

3. There is no evidence of large-scale drug production in
Belarus. Belarus, however, has all the resources necessary
for the production of synthetic narcotics and lack of
controls, which lead to such production elsewhere. The
chemical industry, completely government owned, is allowed
to police itself. According to law enforcement officials in
neighboring countries, Belarus is a source of precursor
chemicals, but officials in Belarus deny this.

4. III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2005

Policy Initiatives. Belarus' counter narcotics strategy -
The State Program of Complex Measures Against Drug and
Psychotropic Substances Abuse and Their Illicit Trafficking
for 2001-2005 - expires this year. Although never fully
implemented, this program aimed to launch preventative and
rehabilitation strategies and to suppress illegal
trafficking. Government officials confess, however, that
the program lacks details of implementation, timeframes, as
well as sufficient financial support. The Ministry of
Interior has primary responsibility for its implementation,
which was never entirely completed. Other institutions
involved in reducing drug demand include the Ministry of
Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education,
Committee on State Security (BKGB),and the State Customs
Committee. The program will not be renewed. Instead, drug
abuse prevention will be incorporated into the Belarusian
government's overall national program against crime.


5. While interdepartmental rivalry profoundly inhibits
cooperation, Belarus has made some strides in restructuring
government agencies to enhance information gathering on
drugs. Under the Ministry of Health, the government of
Belarus created a the legal framework for a National
Observatory on Drugs, which aims to link 19 government
agencies in order to collect and analyze non-medical drug
data.


6. In an effort to combat drug trafficking on a regional
level, the Collective Security Treaty Organization launched
the first stage of the international anti-crime operation
"Channel 2005" in Belarus. This cooperative effort between
CIS law enforcement officials resulted in the seizure of
more than 80 kg of narcotics in Belarus in October.


7. Accomplishments. While Belarus does not face
production or cultivation problems, drug use and transit
issues must be addressed before Belarus is in full
compliance with the UN 1988 Drug Convention. Government
agencies have proposed a set of amendments on drug control
to the Belarusian Criminal Code to be included in the
national law drafting annual plan for 2006. If the
amendments are accepted without change, the legislation will
bring Belarus fully in line with the 1988 Drug Convention.

8. Law Enforcement Efforts. From January 1 to November 1,
2005, 2,735 people committed 4,707 drug-related crimes.
Authorities seized 907 kilograms of drugs during that same
time period, but experts, including government officials,
agree that this quantity fails to reflect the real quantity
of drugs transiting or used in Belarus. Official seizure
figures do not reflect the reality of the problem, as it is
assumed most drugs transit Belarus undetected. Neighboring
countries reported an increase in drugs that came from or
passed through Belarus.

9. Enforcement efforts suffer from lack of communication and
coordination among agencies. For example, State Security
Services refused to allow law enforcement agencies to use a
BUMAD-sponsored software program to enhance information
sharing. It is the same program that other BUMAD recipients
have already adopted and implemented.


10. Belarusian border guards lack the training, and in many
cases the equipment to conduct effective services.
International assistance programs have tried to alleviate
this problem, but insufficient supplies and training still
plague law enforcement officials' work.


11. Despite these resource problems, the majority of
government officials take seriously their efforts to combat
drug smuggling. By all accounts officials involved in
combating drug trafficking cooperate well with their
colleagues in neighboring countries. For example, the lack
of a border control between Belarus and Russia creates an
easy drug smuggling route. In recognition of this problem,
police officials from both countries met in October to
discuss ways to more effectively stop drug trafficking
across the shared border.

12. The total amount of drug seizures has declined since
last year. Drugs seized from January 1-November 1, 2005 (in
kilograms) are as follows: Poppy Straw (608); Marijuana
(167); Extraction Opium (74.8); Heroin (26.7);
Amphetamine/Methamphetamine (18.9); Acetylated Opium (liquid
heroin) (6.0); Hashish (4.4); Cocaine (2.0); Hallucinogens
(1.2); Methadone (1.1); Depressants (1.0); All Other Drugs
(under one kilogram).

13. Belarus continues to have problems with abuse of the
extract from poppy straw, which is very popular in Ukraine,
Russia, and Belarus. Poppy straw was again the drug seized
in greatest quantity in 2005 - 608 kilograms. There is,
however, no evidence of large-scale production of poppies
for export. Heroin seizures have skyrocketed after three
years of steady decline; this year police seized 26.7
kilograms, which is a 1000 percent increase from 2004.
Despite their higher prices, synthetic drugs are growing in
popularity due to their longer lasting effects. In 2005,
authorities seized 1.1 kilograms of methadone, compared to
682 grams in 2004.

14. Corruption. Corruption is a problem among border and
customs officials, which makes interdiction of narcotics
difficult. An anti-corruption bill that has been voted
down two times last year was removed from the legislative
agenda in 2005. The government did not accept any of the 60
proposals in the bill, which included prosecuting
presidential candidates and public servants for corruption.

15. In an effort to curb corruption, however, Belarus is in
the process of ratifying the 1999 Council of Europe Civil
Law Convention on Corruption. This bill would guarantee
compensation to those who suffer damages as a result of
corruption. Moreover, if a public official commits the
corrupt act, this legislation mandates that the government
is liable for providing compensation.

16. Agreements and Treaties. Belarus is a party to the 1988
UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on
Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the
1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Belarus is a
party to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized
Crime and its three protocols.

17. The international donor community has had repeated
difficulties in getting assistance programs registered by
the government. In September, a presidential edict greatly
restricted all foreign technical assistance, making it
nearly impossible to introduce and utilize international aid
in Belarus. There have also been attempts by the Belarusian
government to tax foreign aid, despite international
agreements. These problems have slowed the implementation of
international assistance programs. For example, it took
several months to register the second part of BUMAD, which
resulted in an interruption in program activities and a
delayed launch of the second phase.

18. Cultivation/Production. There is no confirmed drug
cultivation or production in Belarus. Belarus, however,
does possess the resources necessary to produce precursor
chemicals. Neighboring countries allege that Belarus is a
source of precursor chemicals, but Belarusian authorities
deny this accusation.

19. Drug Flow/Transit. Most heavy drugs, especially heroin,
enter Belarus from Russia. Drugs enter Belarus from Russia,
Ukraine (Semi-refined Opium); the Baltic states, the
Netherlands, Poland (Amphetamines); Afghanistan, Caucasian
republics, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine (Heroin); Caucasian republics, Ukraine (Marijuana);
Russia (Methadone); Ukraine (Poppy Straw).


20. Drugs transit Belarus to Poland, Russia (Amphetamines);
Russia, Western Europe (Heroin); Lithuania, Russia
(Marijuana, Poppy Straw); Poland, Russia (Precursors);
Baltic states, Russia (Rohypnol).


21. The Government of Belarus is not operating any
significant programs particularly aimed at combating
trafficking. Belarusian border guards lack the training, and
in many cases the equipment, to conduct effective searches.
The BUMAD program is attempting to improve Belarus' border
checkpoints and the training of law enforcement personnel.
Resource shortages plague the government's efforts in this
area.

22. Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction). Belarus still
lacks an effective system of counter narcotics education,
though such programs occur at the local level with varying
degrees of success. Police officers who work with juvenile
crime run drug prevention programs in schools, but lack
sufficient training, resources, and nation-wide coordination
of curriculum. The BUMAD program aims to formulate a
national curriculum and provide training. This year, BUMAD
and the GOB launched an anti-drug information campaign - You
and Me Against Drugs - targeted at youth in Minsk and in the
regions. Their information campaign included pamphlet
distribution, lectures at organized sporting events and the
creation of an informational anti-drug video with famnus
Belarusian athletes. In addition, the BUMAD-sponsored NGO
Mothers Against Drugs (MAD) won the 2005 UN Civil Sochety
Award for its work on developing and implementing drug
prevention programs among Belarusian youth, including
counseling services, HIV awareness programs, and self-help
groups for addicts and their family members.

23. According to official data, there are approximately
6,100 registered drug addicts in Belarus and 1,250
registered drug abusers. Belarusian experts, however,
estimate the real number at 55,000. The many unregistered
addicts fear consequences at work, school, and in society if
their addiction becomes known. Drug use is heavily
criminalized and highly stigmatized by government and in
society. The exception is among youth, who have ready access
to narcotics at dance clubs, university dormitories and
educational facilities.

24. Treatment of drug addicts is generally done in
psychiatric hospitals, either as a result of court remand or
self-enrollment, or in prisons. The emphasis of all programs
is only detoxification and stabilization. NGOs run six
rehabilitation centers, which attempt to provide long-term
care, including psychological assistance and job training.
Financial limitations constrain the breadth of these
programs. BUMAD has successfully launched several "Your
Choice" one-stop counseling centers in Belarus this year.
These centers help injection drug users find medical care,
information, and counseling at no cost.

25. IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs
The USG has not provided narcotics/justice sector assistance
to the GOB since February 1997 when the USG suspended all
direct assistance to the Belarusian government.

26. The Road Ahead. The USG will continue to encourage
Belarus authorities to enforce their counter narcotics laws.

KROL