Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BAKU791
2007-06-25 11:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJAN: DRUG SEIZURES UP IN FIRST HALF OF 2007
how-toVZCZCXRO4882 RR RUEHDBU DE RUEHKB #0791 1761141 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 251141Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3326 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2208 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0055 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000791
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017
TAGS: ECON SNAR PGOV PREL PINR KCOR AJ IR
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: DRUG SEIZURES UP IN FIRST HALF OF 2007
REF: 06 BAKU 1475
Classified By: POLITICAL ECONOMIC COUNSELOR JOAN POLASCHIK PER REASONS
1.4 (B,D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000791
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017
TAGS: ECON SNAR PGOV PREL PINR KCOR AJ IR
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: DRUG SEIZURES UP IN FIRST HALF OF 2007
REF: 06 BAKU 1475
Classified By: POLITICAL ECONOMIC COUNSELOR JOAN POLASCHIK PER REASONS
1.4 (B,D)
1. (SBU) According to official Government of Azerbaijan
(GOAJ) and UNDP statistics, for the first five months of 2007
the GOAJ interdicted 330 kilograms of illegal drugs. The
breakdown of the seizures by drug type is heroin 23 kg,
opium/opiates 67 kg, marijuana 50 kg and hashish 190 kg. In
2006, the GOAJ seized approximately 312.5 kilograms of
illegal drugs up from 245 kilograms in 2005 and 218 kilograms
in 2004. Based upon press reports citing GOAJ drug
interdiction efforts, most seizures are relatively small --
one to two kilograms. According to official statistics
provided by the State Statistical Committee, Azerbaijan has
rarely interdicted any shipments larger than 50 to 100
kilograms.
2. (SBU) While the exact locations of the government's drug
seizures are not always known, presumably the majority of
drugs seized originated from Iran. Azerbaijan shares a 600
kilometer border with Iran, with large swaths uncontrolled by
either government. On June 9, State Customs Committee
official Ogtay Mammadov told local press outlets that 85
percent of the drugs transported to Azerbaijan came from
Iran.
3. (SBU) Azerbaijan's Interior Minister Ramil Usubov
previewed this increase in counternarcotics efforts in April,
when he told the press that the GOAJ is paying special
attention to the fight against international drug trafficking
and "is stepping up its efforts in this struggle." He added
that the common drug routes were Afghanistan-Central
Asia-Russia-Europe, and Afghanistan-Iran-Azerbaijan/South
Caucasus countries-Russia-Europe. Usubov stated that
Azerbaijan cooperates with Iranian authorities and arrests
primarily Iranian and Azerbaijani citizens. Usubov added,
however, that the GOAJ does not always succeed in detaining
drug dealers or traffickers from Iran, alluding to the lack
of cooperation with the Iranian government.
4. (C) COMMENT: The historically low number of drug
interdictions, especially heroin, by GOAJ authorities does
not track with Azerbaijan's geographic position near major
drug producing and transit countries. Minister of Internal
Affairs Usubbov's public commitment to increase
counternarcotics efforts is encouraging, but the minimal
seizures to-date are not in-line with the large seizures
regularly made by neighboring countries such as Turkey.
Azerbaijan's widespread corruption problems could be to
blame. We will continue to monitor the situation. END
COMMENT.
LU
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017
TAGS: ECON SNAR PGOV PREL PINR KCOR AJ IR
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: DRUG SEIZURES UP IN FIRST HALF OF 2007
REF: 06 BAKU 1475
Classified By: POLITICAL ECONOMIC COUNSELOR JOAN POLASCHIK PER REASONS
1.4 (B,D)
1. (SBU) According to official Government of Azerbaijan
(GOAJ) and UNDP statistics, for the first five months of 2007
the GOAJ interdicted 330 kilograms of illegal drugs. The
breakdown of the seizures by drug type is heroin 23 kg,
opium/opiates 67 kg, marijuana 50 kg and hashish 190 kg. In
2006, the GOAJ seized approximately 312.5 kilograms of
illegal drugs up from 245 kilograms in 2005 and 218 kilograms
in 2004. Based upon press reports citing GOAJ drug
interdiction efforts, most seizures are relatively small --
one to two kilograms. According to official statistics
provided by the State Statistical Committee, Azerbaijan has
rarely interdicted any shipments larger than 50 to 100
kilograms.
2. (SBU) While the exact locations of the government's drug
seizures are not always known, presumably the majority of
drugs seized originated from Iran. Azerbaijan shares a 600
kilometer border with Iran, with large swaths uncontrolled by
either government. On June 9, State Customs Committee
official Ogtay Mammadov told local press outlets that 85
percent of the drugs transported to Azerbaijan came from
Iran.
3. (SBU) Azerbaijan's Interior Minister Ramil Usubov
previewed this increase in counternarcotics efforts in April,
when he told the press that the GOAJ is paying special
attention to the fight against international drug trafficking
and "is stepping up its efforts in this struggle." He added
that the common drug routes were Afghanistan-Central
Asia-Russia-Europe, and Afghanistan-Iran-Azerbaijan/South
Caucasus countries-Russia-Europe. Usubov stated that
Azerbaijan cooperates with Iranian authorities and arrests
primarily Iranian and Azerbaijani citizens. Usubov added,
however, that the GOAJ does not always succeed in detaining
drug dealers or traffickers from Iran, alluding to the lack
of cooperation with the Iranian government.
4. (C) COMMENT: The historically low number of drug
interdictions, especially heroin, by GOAJ authorities does
not track with Azerbaijan's geographic position near major
drug producing and transit countries. Minister of Internal
Affairs Usubbov's public commitment to increase
counternarcotics efforts is encouraging, but the minimal
seizures to-date are not in-line with the large seizures
regularly made by neighboring countries such as Turkey.
Azerbaijan's widespread corruption problems could be to
blame. We will continue to monitor the situation. END
COMMENT.
LU