Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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05TELAVIV6848 | 2005-12-08 15:08:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Tel Aviv |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TEL AVIV 006848 |
1. Israel is not a significant producer or trafficking point for drugs. The Israeli National Police (INP), however, reports that during the year 2005, the Israeli drug market continued to be characterized by high demand in nearly all sectors of society and a high availability of drugs including cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, hashish and LSD. The INP also reports a continuing demand for ecstasy in 2005, but a lower level of seizure compared with 2004. The amount of marijuana seized is less than half that in 2004, and there was a slight decrease in the amount of hashish seized. The INP reports that the amount of heroin seized has doubled since last year and that the level of demand is unchanged. The quantity of LSD seized in 2005 is considerably less then the previous years. Widespread use of ecstasy by Israeli youths is a continuing source of concern for authorities. There was a decrease from last year in the number of offense files for drug use, and possession not for personal use, but for trafficking has increased. The number of drug arrests for 2005 was 3,640 (Note: All 2005 data are for the period January through October and were obtained from the Research Department of the Israeli Police Headquarters, unless otherwise indicated. End note.) In June 2002, Israel ratified the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Israel's domestic law contains the legislative requirements mandated by the convention. -------------------------- Part II: Status of Country -------------------------- 2. Israel is not a major producer of narcotics or precursor chemicals. Israeli narcotics traffickers operating outside of Israel continue to be deeply involved in the international ecstasy trade. The Israeli National Police (INP) reports that during the year 2005, the Israeli drug market was characterized by a high demand in nearly all sectors of society and a high availability of drugs including cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, hashish and LSD. The INP estimates the annual scope of the Israeli market to be 100 tons of marijuana, 20 tons of hashish, 20 million tablets of ecstasy, 4 tons of heroin, 3 tons of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of LSD blotters. Officials are also concerned with the widespread use of ecstasy and cannabis among Israeli youth, and say that drug use among youth mirrors trends in the West. The INP indicates that most of the Hashish in Israel now comes from Afghanistan and Morocco, which have replaced Lebanon as the major source. Another source of concern for law enforcement authorities is the synthetic drug Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB), and its analogues, Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), and Butanediol (BD), better known as the Date-Rape Drugs which have been outlawed in Israel since 2004. -------------------------- - Part III: Country Action Against Drugs in 2005 -------------------------- - 3. Policy initiatives. In June 2002 Israel ratified the 1988 UN Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988 UN Drug Convention) after passing all the necessary laws to make Israeli laws consistent with the Convention. In 2005, the INP continued its general policy of interdiction at Israel's borders and points of entry because the biggest quantities of drugs cross into Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. Together with the Israeli Anti-Drug Authority (IADA), the INP concentrated specifically on the Jordanian and Egyptian borders, where the majority of heroin, cocaine, and cannabis comes into Israel. The INP and the IADA have jointly developed programs to help Israeli youth, especially in the Arab community, where there has been a marked increase in use of illegal drugs and drug-related violence since 2004. Both organizations continue to identify and investigate several major families involved in the drug trade in Israel. In 2005, the INP combined its investigations and intelligence units into one branch called the Special Operations Division (SOD). 4. Distribution. Israel is not a significant distribution point for illegal drugs. 5. Sale, Transport, and Financing. Israel is not a significant seller, transporter or financier of the drug trade but Israeli citizens abroad in locations such as France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Holland, and Belgium serve as brokers and transporters of ecstasy to the U.S. and elsewhere. 6. Asset Seizure. In 2005, authorities seized $2.5 million in illegal drug related assets and cash. 7. Extradition. The INP indicate that no one was extradited from Israel to the U.S. on drug-related charges in 2005. On November 8, 2004 Zeev Rosenstein was arrested on suspicion of involvement in worldwide drug deals worth millions of dollars. On November 30, 2005 the Israeli Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Zeev Rosenstein be extradited to the U.S. 8. Law Enforcement and Drug-Transit Cooperation. DEA officials characterize cooperation between the DEA and the INP as outstanding. All DEA investigations related to Israel are coordinated through the DEA Nicosia Country Office. Through the Nicosia Office, the DEA and the INP conduct coordinated investigations throughout the world. The INP has liaison officers in Bangkok, Paris, the Hague, Bogota, Berlin, Moscow, Ankara, and Washington, DC. Through these offices, there were several significant joint investigations conducted in 2005 leading to arrests of 36 Israelis abroad in 2005. 9. Precursor Chemical Control. Israel is not a significant producer of precursor chemicals. Israeli Customs authorities are active participants in "Operation Topaz" a UN program that monitors the movement of precursor chemicals. 10. Law Enforcement Efforts. INP reports a high demand for cocaine and a total of 158 kg. seized in 2005, a figure almost six times that of 2004. In 2005, 7,000 kg. of marijuana was seized, an amount far less than that of 2004. In 2005, 730 kg. of hashish were seized, a quantity down slightly from last year. The number of ecstasy tablets seized in 2005 were 200,000, down one-third from 2004. The level of heroin seized in 2005 was 140 kg., double the amount in 2004. In 2005, 1,866 LSD blotters were seized, a drop of more than 96.6 percent from the amount of blotters seized in 2004. There was a slight change from last year in the number of offense files reported by the INP. In 2005, the INP reported 15,427 files for drug use, 3,047 for drug trafficking, and 5,233 for drug possession not for personal use. Israel destroyed 686 illicit labs in 2005, compared with 528 in 2004. The figure for drug arrests in 2004 was 4,340, dropping to 3,640 in 2005. In 2005, there were several high profile drug cases. In one instance, the INP arrested seven members of an ecstasy ring involved in smuggling 90,000 pills from Europe. In another case the INP seized 30 kg. of pure heroine at a border crossing between Israel and Jordan, estimated at NIS 3.5 million (USD 777,777). In total there were 24,393 felony cases related to the narcotic crimes. 11. Corruption. Israel does not explicitly or implicitly support narcotics-related activities. Israel does not have specific legislation for public corruption related to narcotics. 12. Agreements and Treaties. In June 2002, Israel ratified the 1988 UN Drug Convention after passing all the necessary laws to make Israeli laws consistent with the Convention. In 1991, the U.S. and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding calling for bilateral cooperation to combat illicit narcotics trafficking and abuse. A dual taxation treaty between the U.S. and Israel entered into force in 1994, which grants the U.S. tax authorities limited access to bank account information. Israel is a party to the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and the 1972 Protocol amending the 1971 Convention. A customs mutual assistance agreement and a mutual legal assistance treaty are also in force between Israel and the U.S. The Israeli Customs Department's National Drug Enforcement Unit reports drug seizures to the World Customs Organization. In December 2000 Israel signed the UN Convention against Transnational Crime and it is in the process of passing the necessary changes to Israeli law required for ratification. In November 2001, Israel also signed the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, supplementing this convention. Israel is a party to the European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. Israel regularly participates in the Third Committee of the United Nations in New York. Israel is one of 36 parties to the European Treaty on Extradition and has separate extradition treaties with several other countries, including the U.S. Under the Israeli extradition law, as recently amended, all persons, whether citizens or not, may be extradited for purposes of standing trial for extraditable offenses. If the requested person was both a citizen and resident of Israel at the time the offense was committed, he may be extradited to stand trial abroad only if the state seeking extradition promises in advance to allow the person to return to Israel to serve any sentence imposed. Israel is party to a number of other bilateral and multilateral agreements that allow for extradition and asset seizure. Israel cooperates with the UNDCP. Israeli also has over 20 bilateral drug enforcement agreements with nations around the world. In December 2005, Israeli and Palestinian law enforcement officials met in Egypt under the auspices of the UN and agreed to cooperate in the war against illegal drugs, both sides decided to set up a joint committee for continuing cooperation in the area of intelligence on drug smuggling and treatment. Also, police officials from Israel and Jordan met in Turkey under the umbrella of the EU to discuss ways to fight drug trafficking, and participated in a drug convention called Drug Smuggling in the Middle East. Israel has not entered into any new treaties in 2005. 13. Cultivation/Production. There is negligible cultivation and production of illicit drugs in Israel. 14. Drug Flow/Transit. Israel is not a significant transit country, although Israeli citizens have been part of international drug trafficking networks in source, transit, and distribution countries. Israeli officials are particularly concerned about drugs being smuggled into Israel from neighboring countries (Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt). Israel also works with Germany and Holland to interdict the flow of ecstasy, Turkey to interdict the flow the cocaine, and South American countries to interdict the flow of heroin. 15. Demand Reduction. A number of both public and private entities are working to reduce the demand for drugs through awareness and prevention. The Israeli Anti-Drug Authority (IADA) is one of the main governmental actors in this effort. Its mission, among other things, is to spearhead prevention efforts, initiate and develop educational services and public awareness, and treat and rehabilitate drug users. It coordinates with and directs the activities of a number of government ministries involved in reducing demand. The IADA also seeks to change the public atmosphere to counter increasing social acceptance of recreational drug use. Prevention programs target high-risk segments of the population like the Arab sector, as well as youths, students, backpackers, new immigrants, and others. The IADA offers workshops and lectures for immigrants from Russia and Ethiopia in their respective languages and tailored to their particular cultural needs. The IADA is working to reduce demand for narcotics among soldiers by providing officers with the skills to combat effectively the use of drugs within their units. There is an ongoing public awareness campaign aimed at parents and designed to focus their attention on their children's whereabouts and activities. The IADA also concentrates on human resources development, including the development of a professional infrastructure, and is establishing a unified standard for training purposes, including development of a curriculum for nurses, police, prison employees, physicians, and counselors, as well as other drug prevention, treatment, and enforcement professionals. The IADA also performs basic, epidemiological, and evaluative research in the narcotic drug field. The INP participates in demand reduction initiatives by lecturing at schools at all levels above 10 years of age and in the army about the impact of drugs on the body and mind. -------------------------- Part IV: U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs -------------------------- 16. Road Ahead. The DEA regional office in Nicosia, Cyprus, looks forward to continued cooperation and coordination with its counterparts in the Israeli law enforcement community. The GOI is seeking to widen and build on relations with other countries and has created an office of International Relations within the IADA to pursue this objective. Israel continues its four-year-term as a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which it joined in January 2004. -------------------------- Part V: Statistical Tables -------------------------- 17. Drug Crop Cultivation. N/A Drug seizures 2005 2004 2003 -------------------------- -------------------------- Cocaine (kg.) 158 28.5 66 Heroin (kg.) 140 70 51 Hashish (kg.) 730 900 N/A Cannabis Resin (kg.) 729 913 900 Herbal Cannabis (kg.) 7,000 14,545 14,795 LSD (blotters) 1,866 55,561 28,331 MDMA (Ecstasy)(tablets) 200,000 300,000 7,658 2005 data represent January through October. Source of data: Israel Police Headquarters, Research Department Drug Offense Files 2005 2004 2003 -------------------------- -------------------------- Use 15,427 15,919 15,162 Trafficking 3,047 2,714 3,160 Possession Not for 5,233 6,026 6,219 Personal Use 2005 data represent January through October. Source of data: Israel Police Headquarters, Research Department Other Statistics 2005 2004 2003 -------------------------- -------------------------- Illicit Labs Destroyed 686 528 N/A Arrests 3,640 4,340 3,616 2005 data represent January through October. Source of data: Israel Police Headquarters, Research Department -------------------------- Part VI: Chemical Control -------------------------- 18. Israel is not a significant producer of precursor chemicals. Israeli Customs authorities are active participants in "Operation Topaz," a UN program that watches the movement of precursor chemicals. Israel legislation requires factories to have licenses for the import of chemicals that can be used as precursor chemicals. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES |