Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DUSHANBE1372
2008-11-03 12:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:  

TAJIKISTAN: 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL

Tags:  SNAR KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL RF TI 
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VZCZCXRO1621
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1372/01 3081209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031209Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1107
INFO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE VIENNA AU
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0182
RUCNCLS/SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0178
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEABND/DEA HQ WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 DUSHANBE 001372 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (HUSHEK)
STATE FOR INL/AAE (BUHLER)
JUSTICE FOR (DUCOT AND NEWCOMBE)
DEFENSE FOR OSD/P

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL RF TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL
STRATEGY REPORT, PART 1

REF: STATE 100992

The headings are keyed per instructions provided reftel.

Summary

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 DUSHANBE 001372

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN (HUSHEK)
STATE FOR INL/AAE (BUHLER)
JUSTICE FOR (DUCOT AND NEWCOMBE)
DEFENSE FOR OSD/P

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM KJUS PGOV PREL RF TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL
STRATEGY REPORT, PART 1

REF: STATE 100992

The headings are keyed per instructions provided reftel.

Summary


1. (U) Tajikistan is not a producer of illicit narcotics, but it is
a major transit country after Pakistan and Iran for heroin and opium
from Afghanistan. The Republic of Tajikistan has emerged as a
frontline state in the war on drugs and is taking the brunt of the
boom in Afghan drug production. Based upon DEA's assessment of the
drug trafficking routs, the Republic of Tajikistan is a major center
for domestic and international drug trafficking organizations. A
significant amount of opium/heroin is trafficked, primarily using
land-based routes, through Tajikistan, onward through Central Asia
to Russia and Europe. Approximately 40 percent reaches Russia; 30
percent goes to Europe; and there is evidence of trafficking in
Afghan opiates to and through China. Chinese border police and the
Tajik Drug Control Agency conducted a joint study of the drug flow
of Afghan opiates from Tajikistan to China in October 2007. They
estimated that approximately five percent of Afghan opiates entering
Tajikistan exit to China, three percent go to the United States,
three percent through Africa to South America with the remainder
going to Russia and Europe.


2. (U) The Tajik Government is committed to fighting narcotics;
however, corruption within the Tajik government continues to limit
the effectiveness of counternarcotics efforts. Corrupt officials at
all levels thwart law enforcement efforts as officers strive to move
drug investigations up the chain of organized criminal groups. So
far, no anti-corruption efforts by the Government of Tajikistan have
had a significant impact on the corruption problem.


3. (U) Tajikistan is ill equipped to handle the myriad social
problems that stem from narcotics trade and abuse. Tajikistan's
medical infrastructure is inadequate to address the populationQs
growing need for addiction treatment and rehabilitation. Still, the
Government of Tajikistan continues to implement counternarcotics
activities, which the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

states yield more seizures than all other Central Asian states
combined. While effectiveness is agency specific, Tajikistan's law
enforcement and security services coordinate activities with all
major donors and surrounding countries. Tajik law enforcement
continues to make arrests and seizures for mid- to low-level cases
and there has been increased cooperation between Russia, the Krygyz
Republic, and Tajikistan focusing on narcotics smuggling rings.
Cooperation between Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and, most
importantly, Afghanistan is increasing among counter-narcotics
agencies. Tajikistan is a party to the 1988 United Nations Drug
Convention, as well as the United Nations Convention against
Corruption.

II Status of the Country.


4. (U) Geography and economics make Tajikistan an attractive transit
route for illegal narcotics. The Pyanj River (Amu Darya in
Afghanistan) which forms most of TajikistanQs border with
Afghanistan is thinly guarded and difficult to patrol. Traffickers
can easily cross the border at numerous points without inspection
due to the lack of adequate border control. TajikistanQs
Qdue to the lack of adequate border control. TajikistanQs
non-criminal economic opportunities are limited by a lack of
domestic infrastructure and complicated by the fact that its major
export routes transit neighboring Uzbekistan. A new U.S.-built
bridge provides a new route for trade through Afghanistan to the
south. In the past, Uzbekistan closed and mined a significant
portion of its border to combat a "perceived instability" from
Tajikistan, although borders have generally remained open for the
last three years.


5. (U) Criminal networks that came to prominence during the 1992-97
Tajik civil war, continued instability in Afghanistan, rampant
corruption, low salaries, a poorly trained legal cadre and
dysfunctional legal system, and inadequate funding to support law
enforcement all hamper efforts to combat illegal narcotics flows.
With a $40 average monthly income, high unemployment, poor job
prospects, and massive economic migration to Russia, the temptation
to become involved in lucrative narcotics-related transactions
remains high.


DUSHANBE 00001372 002 OF 008



6. (U) In-country cultivation of narcotics crops is minimal.
However, the Government of Tajikistan said that it is investigating
the possible existence of small mobile Afghan opiate processing labs
in the southern border area in Shurabad district near Yol and
Sarigor, and in the east near Khorog in Gorno-Badakhshan.


III Country Actions against Drugs.

Policy Initiatives


7. (U) In his annual speech to Parliament on April 25, President
Rahmon called for the transfer by 2010 of the power to issue
preliminary arrest warrants from the prosecutors to the courts. The
transfer of powers to issue arrest warrants is one of the key
elements of ongoing reform of Tajikistan's Criminal Procedure Code.
President Rahmon ordered a new draft Code to be submitted for
consideration to Parliament in 2008. While vesting the courts with
greater oversight of criminal prosecutions would be an important
development, a great deal of work will be required to improve the
fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the criminal justice
system.


8. (U) Passed in early 2008, the "Law on the Human Rights
Commissioner" established an ombudsman who would independently
review human rights claims against government officials. The law
lacked some provisions that observers hoped would safeguard the
CommissionerQs independence. At the time of this reportQs
publication, a Human Rights Commissioner had not been appointed.


9. (U) On March 20, 2008, Parliament amended existing laws on the
"Constitutional Court of the Republic of Tajikistan." The amendments
are intended to enhance the independence of the Constitutional
Court, which has the authority to review whether legislation or
decisions of the courts are consistent with the countryQs
constitution.


10. (U) In 2008 President Rahmon sent for ratification to the
Majlisi Namoyandagon (TajikistanQs lower chamber of parliament) an
agreement between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the establishment the
Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC)
for combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic
substances, and precursors. Over the last decade, criminal
organizations increasingly have smuggled Afghan heroin through
Central Asia. UNODC launched the Center to counter the illicit drug
trafficking and the Center's main goal is to promote
counter-narcotics cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the
region. The Center has liaison officers seconded from member states
whose role is to ensure cooperation between CARICC and the competent
authorities in the respective country.


Law Enforcement Efforts


11. (U) The data below shows the narcotics seizures by law
enforcement and security services during the first 9 months of 2008
compared with the same period of 2007:

Ministry of Internal Affairs:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 792. 2008: 751
Opium (kg): 2007: 1002. 2008: 411
Cannabis (kg): 2007: 347. 2008: 821
Total MVD (kg) 2007: 2141. 2008: 1983
MVD 2007 versus 2008: -7.4 percent

Drug Control Agency:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 278. 2008: 307
Opium (kg): 2007: 329. 2008: 487
Cannabis (kg): 2007: 309. 2008: 358
Total DCA (kg) 2007: 916. 2008: 1152
QTotal DCA (kg) 2007: 916. 2008: 1152
DCA 2007 versus 2008: +25.8 percent

Border Guards:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 82. 2008: 111
Opium (kg): 2007: 471. 2008: 241
Cannabis (kg): 2007: 276. 2008: 649
Total BG (kg) 2007: 829. 2008: 1001
BG 2007 versus 2008: +20.7 percent

DUSHANBE 00001372 003 OF 008



Committee for National Security:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 100. 2008: 200
Opium (kg): 2007: 397. 2008: 468
Cannabis (kg): 2007: 102. 2008: 121
Total KNB (kg) 2007: 599. 2008: 789
KNB 2007 versus 2008: +31.7 percent

Customs Service:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 36. 2008: 81
Opium (kg): 2007: 0. 2008: 01
Cannabis (kg): 2007: .026. 2008: 9
Total CS (kg) 2007: 36. 2008: 90
CS 2007 versus 2008: +149.8 percent

Total:
Heroin (kg): 2007: 1280. 2008: 1450
Opium (kg): 2007: 2199. 2008: 1607
Cannabis (kg): 2007: 1034. 2008: 1958
Total CS (kg) 2007: 4521. 2008: 5015
CS 2007 versus 2008: +11 percent



12. (U) According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,
in 2008 Tajikistan accounts for approximately 50 percent of Central
Asia heroin and opium seizures. Although drug seizures are
significant, the lack of a conspiracy law severely limits law
enforcement's ability to target upper echelon drug traffickers.
Corruption continues to hinder law enforcement investigations, and
as in previous years major narcotics traffickers are not apprehended
and brought to trial. Such a move would require the full backing of
the Presidential Administration and the possible prosecution of
government officials charged with narco-related corruption. The
United States continues to advocate with the Tajik government to
encourage official focus on investigations and prosecutions, rather
than just seizures and arrests.


13. (U) The State Committee on National Security on January 31st,
2008 in Qubodiyon district of Khatlon carried out the largest single
drug seizure in the period of this report. Officers seized a total
of 400 kg of drugs including 73 kg of heroin. Law enforcement
officers arrested eight people including four Border Guard Officers.
The courts sentenced the Border Guards to jail terms of 16-19 years
and gave 15-16-year terms to the other traffickers. Another long
sentence was awarded to three foreign nationals from Uganda, the
Philippines and Afghanistan after an investigation linked them to a
single criminal drug trafficking network.


14. (U) The Drug Control Agency is one of the most effective and
active enforcement and intelligence agencies in Tajikistan. In the
first nine months of this year they seized over 1152 kilos of
illicit drugs. Agency operations are unique in their ability to
collaborate effectively with other government agencies and regional
and international law enforcement institutions. The Agency
participated in thirty-seven joint operations with the Russian
Federation, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan. These
operations were successful in destroying four drug laboratories in
Afghanistan and seizing large amounts of drugs and weapons.


15. (U) As a means to encourage more cooperative enforcement
activity, the USG is actively working with law enforcement bodies to
develop and use joint operational intelligence strategies. These
initiatives include the development of a Joint Intelligence Center
and a Field Intelligence Center. The Joint Center is intended to
improve the capacity of law enforcement officials to work jointly in
detecting, investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals
Qdetecting, investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals
and terrorists. This strategy complements the United States'
ongoing efforts to upgrade database software utilized in the
analytical centers to organize and better track complex criminal
investigations.


16. (U) The Border Guards which are the first line of defense
against contraband trafficking along the Tajik-Afghan border were
more successful in seizing drugs in 2008 than in 2007. They seized
1001 kilos of drugs during the first nine months of 2008, which is a
17 percent increase over the same period last year. Shurabad
region, on Tajikistan's southeastern border with Afghanistan, is
considered to be the main entry route for Afghan drugs. It is also
the region which experiences the highest incidence of violence

DUSHANBE 00001372 004 OF 008


targeting Border Guards. Fifteen skirmishes were reported in 2008,
with casualties reported to both Border Guards and trespassers. The
Border Guards' lower ranks are young, poorly paid conscripted
soldiers, and very susceptible to corruption. Statistical
information on border activity continues to be difficult to obtain
since the Border Guards were placed administratively under the
direction of the State Committee for National Security.


17. (U) On the whole, Tajik law enforcement and security ministries
are becoming more proactive and technically competent in dealing
with border smuggling and organized crime although poor funding and
corruption limit their effectiveness.

Corruption


18. (U) As a matter of policy, the Tajik Government does not
encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of
narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances and
has continued to seek international support in augmenting its
efforts to combat narcotics trafficking. It is impossible to
determine authoritatively just how pervasive drug-related corruption
and other forms of corruption are within government circles.
However, there is certainly a striking discrepancy between the
extravagant lifestyles of some senior officials and their nominal
government salaries. Even when arrests are made for narcotics
trafficking, the resulting cases are not always brought to a
satisfactory conclusion. There have been some arrests of Border
Guard and Customs officers in the past by the Drug Control Agency,
Ministry of Interior, and State Anti-Corruption Agency; however,
these are low level officers, and investigations rarely proceed
beyond indictment of the courier and foot soldiers involved.


19. (U) Tajikistan signed the United Nations Convention Against
Corruption in accordance with the President's Executive Order No.
1601 of September 10, 2005, and fully ratified it in September 2006.
In 2007, the President created the State Financial Control and
Anti-corruption Agency, which reports to the PresidentQs office.
The Agency has not conducted any investigations of high value
targets.


20. (U) The Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor GeneralQs Office
remain major obstacles for many law enforcement efforts. As
corruption continues to be the single largest obstacle to reform,
the United States is looking at ways to engage law enforcement and
support rule of law programs with a more grass-roots approach to
promoting public action and involvement in supporting
anti-corruption and community-based rule of law initiatives.



21. (U) Law enforcement units of the Anti Corruption Agency
discovered 693 corruption-based crimes in the first nine month of
2008: 244 of them were felonies, 142 were connected to bribery, and
121 were committed by government employees. Authorities accused
employees of the courts and law enforcement agencies including
officers from the Drug Control Agency and the Ministry of Defense of
132 corruption-based crimes. The Anti Corruption Agency
investigated 232 cases and 208 of them were sent to the court for
further proceedings.


22. (U) The State Financial Control and Anti Corruption Agency
conducted 792 financial audits of government entities for the period
Qconducted 792 financial audits of government entities for the period
January-October, 2008. Auditors discovered theft or
misappropriation of $31 million from the country's budget; almost
$10 million was returned. 983 officials received disciplinary
punishment and 43 were released.


Agreements and Treaties


23. (U) No extradition or mutual legal assistance treaties exist
between Tajikistan and the United States. Tajikistan is a party to
the 1988 United Nations Drug Convention, the 1961 United Nations
Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1972
United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Tajikistan is
also a party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption and
the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
and its protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in
persons.


DUSHANBE 00001372 005 OF 008



24. (U) Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
signed an agreement in September 1999 on cooperation in combating
transnational crime, including narcotics trafficking. The Tajik and
Kyrgyz Drug Control Agencies signed an interagency agreement on
January 21, 2008, on Cooperation in the Struggle against Drugs,
Psychotropic Matter, and Precursor Chemical Trafficking. Amendment
to Letter of Agreement from 27 January 2003, on cooperation of drug
control and law enforcement issues was signed in Dushanbe on August
22, 2008. On October 7, 2008,


25. (U) President Rahmon submitted an agreement for parliamentary
ratification between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the Creation of Regional
Informational Coordinating Center in the Struggle against Drugs,
Psychotropic Matter, and Precursor Chemical Trafficking in the
Central Asia.


26. (U) The five Central Asian countries, as well as Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, are members of the Economic
Coordination Mechanism supported by the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime. Tajikistan ratified the United Nations Convention
against Corruption in September 2006.


Cultivation/Production (where applicable)


27. (U) According to media reports in 2008 poppies and marijuana are
cultivated in very limited amounts in various parts of the country.
The Drug Control Agency does not consider Tajikistan a narcotics
production country. The two largest cultivations were found by the
Tajik police in Sughd region, along the Tajik-Kyrgyz and Tajik-Uzbek
borders and in districts of the remote Badakhshan province.
Officers found a total of 85, 000 bushes of wild marijuana and
destroyed them as part of the "Poppy-2008" operations in 2008.
There were no production laboratories found or reported in
Tajikistan.


Drug Flow/Transit


28. (U) The Tajik government and international agencies involved in
the collection and analysis of narcotics and organized crime
intelligence continue to assess Tajikistan as an important transit
route for the Afghanistan drug trade. Estimates suggest that
between 15 percent and 30 percent of Afghanistan drugs pass through
Tajikistan destined for Russia, China, and Europe. Although the
volume has likely increased, because of higher Afghan production,
the estimated percentage has remained relatively stable. This may
in part be explained by more sophisticated mechanisms emerging in
the Iran and Pakistan routes, and in the case of Pakistan the
instability of the security sector providing opportunity for
trafficking while law enforcement is pre-occupied with terrorism and
insurgent activities.


29. (U) Hashish from Afghanistan also transits Tajikistan en route
to Russian and European markets. This year there has been a marked
89 percent increase in the quantities seized in Tajikistan. An
undetermined quantity of Afghan opiate traffic is crossing into
Tajikistan, transiting through the eastern Badakhshan region and
entering western China. Lack of verifiable intelligence and actual
seizures in that region make it difficult to assess the amount of
this traffic. The remoteness of the Badakhshan region and limited
Qthis traffic. The remoteness of the Badakhshan region and limited
law enforcement capacity continue to offer challenges to enforcement
and deterrence on one hand while offering opportunities to
traffickers on the other.


30. (U) It is estimated but not verified that precursor chemicals
used in Afghan heroin production are coming from western China to
Afghanistan via the eastern Tajikistan route. With U.S. and other
donor assistance Tajikistan authorities are addressing this region
more aggressively, strengthening their enforcement profiles and
developing their intelligence structures. In particular the USG has
been working to develop integrated intelligence capacity and to
encourage joint operational strategies.


Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction


31. (U) Tajikistan is the transit point of Afghan-sourced narcotics

DUSHANBE 00001372 006 OF 008


and the precursor chemicals that are required to produce heroin and
morphine. Drug addiction in Tajikistan is increasing yearly and
school-age children from all regions have relatively easy access to
illegal narcotics. The Government of Tajikistan's resources to
address both the user and transit problems are limited. Unofficial
United Nations statistics estimate about 119 registered drug users
per 100,000 people in Tajikistan, with heroin the overwhelming drug
of choice in all regions in the country. Unregistered drug users
press this number higher.


32. (U) According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of
Tajikistan, in the first half of 2008, 8,732 drug addicts have been
registered by health centers (7,791 in 2006, 8,117 in 2007). Most
registered drug addicts are found in the capital Dushanbe (47
percent) and Sogd Region (19 percent). Drug-related problems,
including crime and HIV infection, have begun to take their toll on
Tajik society.


33. (U) The U.S. Embassy conducts drug demand reduction projects to
address the increasing consumption. Jointly with the Tajik
Karate-do Federation the U.S. embassy, co-sponsored an International
Karate-do Tournament under the slogan "Strike a Blow Against
Narcotics" to advocate a healthy lifestyle for Tajik youth. This
program aims to stop drug addiction at its source by bringing drug
demand reduction information to young people in their schools. The
program complements other U.S. counter-narcotics initiatives aimed
at improvements in traditional narcotics interdiction and law
enforcement institution-building. The project targets high school
students in Dushanbe, Khujand and Khatlon to promote a healthy and
drug-free lifestyle through peer-to-peer interaction.


34. (U) The Drug Control Agency continued to expand and develop its
initiatives to increase drug awareness during the reporting period,
primarily among school children. The Tajik government funded the
"Decrease of Demand for Drugs in Tajikistan" project which supports
a rehabilitation center for drug users in Badakhshan. Under the
project the government constructed a sports complex in Khorog to
provide healthy alternatives to young people. The Drug Control
Agency organized 801 programs including 281 anti-drug publications,
274 TV programs, 268 meetings, seminars, round table discussions,
and 69 sport activities.


35. (U) In April and July the Prime-Minister of Tajikistan chaired
sessions in Dushanbe to organize programs to prevent drug use in
Tajikistan. Other leaders conducted similar sessions in all the
regions of Tajikistan. These sessions aim to create a central
governmental program on preventing drug abuse and fight against
illicit of drugs in Tajikistan for 2008-2012.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs.

Bilateral Cooperation

36. (U) The bilateral relationship in counter-narcotics and law
enforcement is sound. Cooperation in reform of the justice sector
has just begun but has already led to an invitation to assist in
reform of the process for selection and training of judges.
However, international donor assistance for rewriting the Criminal
Procedures Code resulted in bureaucracy and obstruction by Tajik
QProcedures Code resulted in bureaucracy and obstruction by Tajik
officials with no assistance ever accepted.


37. (U) The counter-narcotics office in the U.S. Embassy in
Tajikistan is headed by a full-time International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement officer. He is assisted by a Senior Law Enforcement
Advisor, Rule of Law Attorney Assistant, Program Managers for Border
Security and Policing, and a Construction Engineer.


38. (U) The embassy uses the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime as an implementer for support to the Drug Control Agency;
International Organization for Migration for implementation of
Trafficking in Persons programs; American Bar Association to
implement rule of law programs, and local non-governmental
organizations for implementation of justice programs.


39. (U) The United States has been supporting the DCA for nine years
and is preparing the agency to assume responsibility for its
recurring costs. The Government of Tajikistan with Presidential
endorsement submitted to the Parliament a budget for the Drug
Control Agency requesting an increase in the Agency's budget to
begin paying agent salaries. The Dushanbe Office of the United

DUSHANBE 00001372 007 OF 008


Nations Office on Drugs and Crime facilitates cross border
cooperation between drug agencies in Kyrgyz Republic and
Afghanistan. The DEA Dushanbe Country Office engages the Drug
Control Agency and the Ministry of Internal Affairs Department on
counter-narcotics by assisting in international counter-narcotics
cases and mentoring Agency officers to improve operational skills.


40. (U) U.S. security assistance to Tajikistan continues to expand
with additional resources coming from the Department of Defense and
other sources. The Office of Defense Cooperation manages Central
Command's counter narcotics program to develop the Government of
TajikistanQs capacity to limit narcotics trafficking along its
porous border with Afghanistan through projects that promote
interagency cooperation; improve mobility, communications, and
life-support to the Drug Control Agency and the Border and Customs
Services; and professionalize the Government's approach to
counternarcotics. The Office has implemented a major communications
project that links all border posts and border guard headquarters.
Next steps include expanding the system to link law
enforcement/security agencies in Tajikistan and connect to the
Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre in
Almaty, Kazakhstan. The purpose of the Center is to improve
information flow and operational intelligence across Central Asian
borders to better combat the increase of transnational organized
crime networks in the region.


41. (U) The Departments of Defense and State renovate border
outposts, provide training, and operational and investigative
equipment to various law enforcement and security-related government
agencies. The embassy's Border and Law Enforcement Working Group
(BLEWG) coordinates all USG assistance on counternarcotics and
border assistance. Donor countries and organizations coordinate
provision of assistance through the Border Security Working Group
(BIG) that meets monthly. Cooperation with the Border Guards is
bureaucratic and slow. Lack of transparency, insufficient staffing,
and regular leadership changes within the Border Guards delay
project implementation and require more donor oversight and direct
implementation. The US continues to assist the Ministry of Internal
Affairs by renovating the Ministry's Training Academy, reforming of
curriculum, and improving teaching methodology.

Road Ahead


42. (U) The United States remains committed to working with the
Tajik Government to increase its law enforcement and
counternarcotics capabilities. The United States will continue to
focus on building basic capacity of the major law enforcement
agencies, in particular the Ministry of Interior and the Border
Guards; to expand mid-level management and leadership training to
these entities; and to continue to push for meaningful
anti-corruption efforts throughout the government. The Drug
Enforcement Agency will provide more sophisticated operational
training and mentoring of the Drug Control Agency. A greater
emphasis on recruiting and developing a network of reliable sources
will enable the Drug Control Agency and the Ministry of Internal
Affairs to initiate cases against major trafficking organizations
QAffairs to initiate cases against major trafficking organizations
operating regionally and internationally.


43. (U) The United States will also sustain the justice sector
reform program and coordinate with other donors and international
organizations during planned training of prosecutors, judges, and
defense attorneys. A major goal of the INL-funded rule of law
program, a subset of the justice sector program, is to strengthen
Tajikistan's ability to investigate and prosecute major drug
traffickers and organized crime syndicates as well as improve and
reform judicial sector training. In order to achieve this goal in
light of existing corruption and transparency issues within the
government, the United States will increase its emphasis on
anti-corruption, public outreach, ethics, and education efforts.


44. (U) The culture of corruption fueled by the huge amount of drugs
passing through the country poses a significant threat to
TajikistanQs stability and prosperity. The embassy will focus on
anti-corruption campaigns within existing counter-narcotics,
policing, and border security programs. To combat the ever
increasing drug consumption, the U.S. will sustain drug demand
reduction programs especially using the peer-to-peer principle. To
improve regional cooperation to address common problems and threats,
the United States will coordinate closely with other donor countries

DUSHANBE 00001372 008 OF 008


and international organizations to organize and implement as many
Afghan-Tajik joint training courses as possible.


V. Statistical Tables (Majors only).

Drug Crop Cultivation: N/A

VI. Chemical Control

Precursors


45. (U) There was one seizure of precursors in 2008. A lack of
proper screening equipment and related training means that possible
illicit transit of such chemicals goes undetected. The small amount
of licit precursor chemical imports, closely monitored by the Tajik
government, is destined generally for five in-country industrial
sites that use such chemicals: Tajik Azot, Yovon Chemical Plant,
Talco, 6th Plant of Chkalovsk, Isfara Chemical Plant. The
government does not have the capability to monitor or intercept
precursor chemicals illegally transiting Tajikistan to Afghanistan.
Part of the reason for the lack of seizures and information is that
the Tajik government has a customs inspection agreement with
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan that prohibits inspection of sealed trucks
(TIR) bound for a non-Tajikistan destination, many of which could be
carrying licit and illicit precursor chemicals.

JACOBSON