KAZAKHSTAN: 2006-2007 INSCR, PART I

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ASTANA 000590 SIPDIS STATE FOR INL SNYDER, CARROLL, ALTON; SCA/CEN FOR OMARA SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM KCOR PREL KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: 2006-2007 INSCR, PART I REF: STATE 154928 ASTANA 00000590 001.2 OF 005 ¶1. In response to reftel instructions, the text of Part 1 of the 2006-2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INSCR) for Kazakhstan follows. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. In 2006, Kazakhstan significantly increased counter-drug operations. President Nazarbayev declared a national effort against drug use and drug traffickers. The government encouraged law enforcement agencies, NGOs, political parties and media to join together to combat drugs. The number of people who committed drug related crimes this year increased 13.4% year on year. President Nazarbayev announced two big programs on combating corruption and drug trafficking. Strengthening the borders, especially in the south, is a priority for Kazakhstan as well. Officially the number of young drug addicts under 17 years old increased 9.3% in comparison with the same period last year. 70% of the drug addicts in the country consume heroin. The GOK is devoting more attention and resources to interagency cooperation in the fight against drug supply and demand. Law enforcement services acknowledge that without the assistance of society, NGOs and mass media they will not be able to effectively combat drug distribution. -------------- STATUS OF COUNTRY -------------- ¶3. The UN reported that the 2006 harvest of opium in Afghanistan will be around 5,000 tons. Reserves of ready heroin are more than 500 tons, approximately one third of which is destined for export to Russia and European countries through Kazakhstan. While sources differ, the UN reports that that about 11% of the drugs transiting the country remain in Kazakhstan. Importation of synthetic drugs such as ecstasy and LSD from Russia and Europe is increasing. ¶4. However, more recent estimates provided by the Deputy Head of the Division on Combating International Drug Trafficking of the Committee for National Security showed that of the 100-120 tons of drugs expected to transit Kazakhstan in 2006 about 15-20 tons will stay in the country. In addition, there is an existing marijuana growing area in the Chu valley on the Kazakhstani-Kyrgyzstani border. Most of cases of sale, transit, and consumption of drugs occur in the southern regions of the country. ¶5. According to the local press, the Deputy Head of the Division on Combating International Drug Trafficking of the Committee for National Security announced that criminal activity related to the production of Afghanistani opiates presents the most serious problem for Kazakhstan. He stated that the problem of drug trafficking became much more acute when Russian border guards left the border of Tajikistan with Afghanistan. Another newspaper, Komsomolskya Pravda, reported that in Kazakhstan one kilo of high quality "999" type heroin costs around $18,000, while in Europe the price would increase to $60,000 and in the U.S. to $120,000. -------------- COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS -------------- ¶A. Policy Initiatives ¶6. In November 2005 President Nazarbayev signed the Decree on Approval of the Strategy on Combating Drug Addiction and Drug Trafficking in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2006-2014. The aim of the Strategy is to counter drug addiction and drug trafficking in Central Asia. In an effort to ensure the gradual development of the process of combating drug addiction and drug trafficking, the Strategy was divided into three stages: 2006-2008, 2009-2011, and 2012-2014. The goal of the first stage is to stop the increase in drug consumption and the illegal drug trade. The second stage focuses on stopping the growth of addiction to psychoactive substances among the Kazakhstani population. The third stage aims to further develop a complete and effective system of state and public counteraction to drug addiction and the drug trade. ¶7. In addition to the Strategy, in September 2006 President Nazarbayev stated to the Security Council that the commitment of the capital city to combat narcotics should set an example to the rest ASTANA 00000590 002.2 OF 005 of Kazakhstan. With the public backing of President Nazarbayev, the Akimat (City Hall) of Astana in consultation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) developed a 2006-2008 program entitled "Astana - Drug Free City." It covers three main themes: demand reduction, treatment of drug addiction, and combating drug trafficking. According to local internet news site "Kazinform," on September 29 the government decided to allot one billion tenge ($8 million) to implement the program. ¶8. In remarks to the Security Council, the President authorized the Committee for National Security (KNB) and MVD to join forces to combat drug use and drug trade. Nazarbayev advocated publicizing the counter-narcotics push on TV in order to get the message out to the population that drug use is unacceptable. Notwithstanding that the program "Astana - Drug Free City" was designed for the capital, law enforcement agencies have begun to apply it to the whole country. The MVD Minister, Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov, mentioned that in the near future similar projects will be developed in other cities with serious drug problems. ¶9. The "Kazakhstan Today" newspaper reported that owners of night clubs in Almaty and Astana met with the leaders of the MVD to discuss measures to counteract the spread of drugs in night clubs and prevent drug addiction among their clients. As a result of the meeting the parties came to the unanimous decision to join forces with government law enforcement and security services to combat drug distribution, and ensure the security of night clubs. In addition, the businessmen proposed that MVD officers train the security guards working in night clubs in basic knowledge and skills of drug detection. ¶10. In July and again in October the Committee for National Security publicly burned seized Afghanistan heroin. In July, 43 kilos were burned and in October 67 kilos of heroin and 217 kilos of opium. ¶11. In 2006, the MVD Minister suggested toughening punishment for drug-related crimes. In an interview in "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda" in September, he said that the MVD prepared draft legislative amendments to the Criminal Code stipulating tougher punishment for drug-related crimes, including the death penalty. ¶12. The Procurator General's Office suggested establishing an interagency information center for the exchange of legal information to be used by law enforcement bodies and special services of CIS member countries. Deputy Procurator General Georgy Kim stated at a CIS conference of the heads of law enforcement information services that the center should be not just a data base, but a unified analytical complex, where information about transnational crime received from customs, border guard, law enforcement, prisons and other agencies would be accumulated and analyzed. He said that Kazakhstan was ready to provide the Center with available software and the necessary legal basis, and would assist in the development of data security measures for shared information. ¶13. In 2006, Kazakhstan devoted more attention to drug demand reduction programs in addition to law enforcement efforts. The Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health and NGOs all have begun efforts to reduce demand for illegal narcotics in Kazakhstani society. One of the aims is to involve youth as much as possible in other activities such as sports, social events. In one case, a member of the Mazhilis (Parliament),Tanirbergen Berdongarov, explained that after the launch of "Astana-drug free city "Zhas Otan", the youth wing of the "Otan" political party joined in the effort to reduce drug demand. Recently the Committee on Combating Drugs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs organized a media forum and proposed to the assembled journalists that they actively cooperate in combating drug addiction. MVD representatives pointed out to the journalists the necessity of increasing social advertisements in mass media directed against drug addiction. ¶B. Accomplishments ¶14. Kazakhstan continues to comply with UN conventions on combating illicit narcotics cultivation and production within its borders. ¶15. The Central Asia Regional Information Coordination Center (CARICC) will be based in Almaty. Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Memorandum on Understanding and Cooperation on Control over Illegal Production, Circulation, Abuse of Narcotics, ASTANA 00000590 003.2 OF 005 Psychotropic Substances and Precursors decided to locate CARICC in the former capital of Kazakhstan on February 8 at the seventh meeting of MOU parties in Tashkent. The Center will be the focal point for communication, analysis and exchange of operations information on transnational crime and will assist in organization and support on coordination of joint operations to combat narcotics. According to official information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 50 specialists will work in CARICC. The President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov proposed the idea of CARICC during the visit of the Secretary General Kofi Annan to the Republic of Uzbekistan in October 2002. ¶C. Law Enforcement Efforts (seizure statistics) --- KNB --- ¶16. The GOK continues to actively combat narcotics. During the KNB's 2006 "Operation Trap," a lengthy joint operation between Kazakhstani agencies, Russian special services, and Tajik law enforcement bodies, KNB officers stopped the activity of a criminal drug group which controlled significant part of drug trafficking, transiting through Central Asia. Experts of the Kazakhstani special service successfully identified the money laundering mechanisms for drug trafficking proceeds. Isatai Sabetov, Deputy Head of KNB Division on Combating International Drug Trafficking, stated that in order to launder the proceeds of drug sales, the criminal group created several businesses in Kazakhstan, Europe and offshore zones. In only one of these, KNB officers discovered $1.6 million. ¶17. In October 2006, Almaty KNB officers intercepted an international drug ring of five people at the final stage of a controlled delivery operation. The criminals transported drugs through the territory of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan inside a truck carrying grapes. The consignment of narcotics was destined for the European Union. Also in October, the Almaty city KNB Department burned 67 kilos of heroin and 217 kilos of opium in front of TV cameras. The packages of heroin were stamped with a sign "999" showing that it was produced in Afghanistan and was of the highest quality. The drugs were seized in a June 2005 special operation. ¶18. In the first 10 months of 2006, the KNB detected and eliminated 20 international drug distribution and transit networks and eight criminal rings, instituted criminal proceedings against 135 people, and seized over 800 kilos of opium and heroin. --- MVD --- ¶19. As a result of a special operation from September 21 to October 1, MVD officers detected 577 incidents of drug use, seized over two tons of drug substances (including four kilos of heroin),and discovered 154 drug sales. ¶20. Law enforcement agencies seized 22,549 kilos of drugs in the first nine months of 2006, compared with 21,635 kilos last year. The MVD seized the largest amount of drugs with 19,753 kilos; the KNB - 2,598 kilos; and the Customs Control Committee of the Ministry of Finance - 198 kilos. ¶21. Head of the Committee on Combating Narcotics Anatoliy Vyborov announced that as a result of the work of law enforcement agencies, 7,900 drug-related crimes were registered in the country; this is 5.6% higher than the same period last year. In nine months, the officers of the Committee on Combating Narcotics eliminated ten organized criminal groups trafficking drugs. ¶22. According to "Liter" newspaper, the increased seizure rates show that law enforcement agencies and security services were more efficient in 2006. This is attributed to increased collaboration with the neighboring countries in Central Asia and the regular exchange of information with them. "Liter" newspaper also reported that Russian special services are the most effective in collaborating on regional anti-narcotics work because they have maintained contacts in Afghanistan since Soviet times. ¶23. Law-enforcement agencies seized 3,665 liters of liquid precursors in the first nine months of 2006, versus 89 liters for the same period last year. ASTANA 00000590 004.2 OF 005 -------------- Corruption -------------- ¶24. While it is difficult to determine the extent to which corruption is associated with narcotics trafficking, corruption in Kazakhstan is a factor hampering the country's war on drugs. On December 28, 2005, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the decree "On the State Program of Combating Corruption for 2006-2010." All state agencies were mandated to take measures to combat corruption internally. As a result, from January to September 2006, the Agency on Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption registered 1,225 corruption crimes - an increase of 20.2% over the same time last year. Criminal cases were brought against 378 people, among them 44 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ¶25. According to the "Express-K" newspaper, a senior officer of the Department of Internal Affairs (DVD) of Zhambulskaya oblast (southern Kazakhstan) was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The officer, a police major, dealt drugs; he used his position to charge drug addicts a price three times higher than the street rate. One drug addict who had to pay 4,000 tenge ($32) for 1.5 grams of heroin reported the Major to the Committee for National Security. -------------- Agreements and Treaties -------------- ¶26. ALOA: The U.S. and Kazakhstan signed the fourth Supplementary Protocol to the Memorandum of Understanding on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement in August 28, 2006. ¶27. Kazakhstan is party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and has signed the Central Asian counter-narcotics Memorandum of Understanding with UNODC. The Kazakhstan national anti-narcotics law, passed in 1998, specifically gives provisions of international anti-narcotics agreements precedent over national law (Article 3.2). Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed an agreement in September 1999 on cooperation in combating transnational crime, including narcotics trafficking. -------------- Cultivation/Production -------------- ¶28. On October 3, officers of Astana Department of the KNB discovered an area for the cultivation of the high quality Afghan strain of marijuana in the village of Romanovka, 30 kilometers from Astana. The owners of the land set up an entire process to produce and package the drugs. KNB officers seized 100 kilos of marijuana and 77 grams of heroin in the operation. ¶29. KNB officers in Zhambulskaya oblast discovered a workshop for the production of drugs in the cellar of a secondary school in the Chu region. A physical education teacher from the school had established the workshop to produce and package drugs for a drug ring which specialized in large quantities. A search of the teacher's home revealed 90 kilos of dried hemp and a nine-kilo sack of hashish. -------------- Drug Flow/Transit -------------- ¶30. The main flow of drugs, including heroin and opium, enters Kazakhstan from the Central Asian region (Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan). Drug couriers are mainly residents of Central Asian countries. One main reason for this is poverty and high unemployment rates. Couriers rely on vehicles and trains to smuggle the majority of the narcotics into Kazakhstan. ¶31. In 2006, drug smugglers responded to the increased counter-drug operations by law enforcement and security agencies by devising new methods and new routes. Increased operations on the south-central border forced the smugglers to look for other routes to the east and west to avoid interception. ¶32. According to the KNB, during the last year officers detained several passengers on an Almaty - Beijing flight at the Almaty ASTANA 00000590 005.2 OF 005 airport when they tried to smuggle 10 kilos of heroin. The couriers were two Russian citizens, one citizen of Kazakhstan, and one citizen of Azerbaijan. Six months later, special service officers arrested the leader of the group. When arrested, he had over 3,000 tablets of ecstasy in his possession. ¶33. Local newspapers report that Almaty, the former capital in the south of Kazakhstan, stopped being a terminal point for transiting drugs from Afghanistan to Europe. Today criminals transport drugs directly through Karaganda (located in the center of Kazakhstan) to the north of the country. Drugs are transported to Almaty only for local market, since the demand for drugs has not decreased. ¶34. Couriers developed or borrowed new methods to avoid detection. Some couriers cover packed drugs with wolf adipose tissue in order to escape detection by drug dogs. One case was unusual for the officers working at the auto checkpoints. According to Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, "Aul" post customs and border guard officers found drugs in a propane gas cylinder. Propane is often used to power vehicles and heat homes in Kazakhstan. During this inspection of a car traveling from Uzbekistan to Russia, over 230 grams of heroin were seized. ¶35. Train passengers also resort to novel approaches. The usual method for concealing illegal narcotics is to hide them in big suitcases or bags with false bottoms. One unusual method is to put heroin in walnut shells and then glue them back together. -------------- Domestic Programs -------------- ¶36. According to official statistical data for the first nine months of 2006, there are 54,705 people using drugs and psychotropic substances in Kazakhstan. This represents a 4.9% increase from last year (52,137 registered last year). The figure includes 4,890 women, 4,652 minors (including 1,331 children under 14),29,629 young people aged 18-30 years old, and 20,424 who are 30 and older. ¶37. The Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and local government bodies conduct sport events, cultural events, and competitions to keep young people away from drugs. The Government of Kazakhstan has promised to build more sport clubs for youngsters. The government reports that NGOs must go though professional training to be able to effectively conduct demand reduction programs. -------------- U.S. POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS -------------- ¶38. The overall USG goal is to develop a long-term cooperative relationship between law enforcement bodies and special services of the United States and those of Kazakhstan. This relationship will enhance the professional skills of officers and improve the organization and management of GOK law enforcement services, thereby improving the results in the fight against illegal narcotics and terrorism. ¶39. The USG will conduct a Counter Narcotics Bilateral Strategy meeting with Kazakhstan in December 2006 to improve collaborative efforts to combat narcotics. The purpose of the session is to convey to the GOK the best practices the U.S. learned from its efforts to combat illegal narcotics including interdiction, demand reduction, and rehabilitation. ¶40. To allow for the more effective search of trucks and trains, the USG provides technical assistance and training to GOK law enforcement and security services, including search equipment for border posts, interior checkpoints, and patrolling the green border. The USG is working with law enforcement and security service training academies to improve curriculum and training methods. ORDWAY