MONTENEGRO: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PODGORICA 000273

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL (LYLE/KIMMEL); EUR/SCE (HOUGE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SNAR KCRM MW
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT
(INCSR),DRUGS AND CHEMICAL SECTION, VOLUME 1

REF: STATE 00100992

PODGORICA 00000273 001.2 OF 003



1. Summary: Organized crime groups use Montenegro as a transit
country for cannabis from Albania and Kosovo, and smaller
amounts of other narcotics from the Middle East (heroine) and
Latin America (cocaine),destined for the western Balkans and
Western Europe. A small proportion of the smuggled narcotics is
sold in the small but growing domestic market. The Government
of Montenegro is implementing a comprehensive action plan
against illegal drugs, and is seeking close law enforcement
relationships with other states in the region. By using
improved methods and additional technical capabilities in
investigating drug trafficking, in cooperation with other
countries, Montenegrin police disrupted several international
smuggling operations. Montenegro became an independent state in
June 2006, and is in the process of becoming a signatory to
relevant international conventions and agreements. Montenegro is
a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, as a successor state of
the Union of Serbia and Montenegro.




2. Status of Country: There were no reports of significant
production of narcotics, precursor chemicals or synthetic drugs
in Montenegro. The Government of Montenegro estimates that only
a small percentage of the illegal drugs entering the country are
for the domestic market, although the police and press report
that domestic drug addiction rates have been rising. Information
on illegal drug use is not systematically recorded, but
authorities estimate that Montenegro has between 2,000 and 3,000
addicts. Heroin is the most prevalent drug on the local market,
but the use of ecstasy and amphetamines is on the rise. Crimes
connected with narcotics also have increased, and currently 40
percent of all Montenegrin prison inmates have been convicted
for narcotics-related offenses. Protection of its borders is a
national priority for Montenegro. The United States and other
international donors have supported efforts to tighten border
controls. Recent U.S. donations of ocean and lake patrol craft
have improved Montenegro's ability to curb water-borne
smuggling.




3. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2008:



Policy Initiatives. To position itself better for future EU
accession, Montenegro is training more counter-narcotics
investigators, procuring new equipment, and strengthening its
inter-agency cooperation. In May 2008, the Montenegrin
government issued the country's first National Strategy for
Suppression of Drugs, along with a National Plan to implement
that strategy. The government also plans to create a National
Office, within the Ministry of Health, to coordinate the
country's anti-drug efforts.



Law Enforcement Efforts. The Drug Smuggling Suppression
Department within the Police's crime division is responsible for
coordinating cooperation and exchange of information between
nine counter-drug police units located through Montenegro, the
Customs Administration, the Ministry of Justice, and Interpol.
The Ministry of Interior (MUP) compiles data on narcotics
seizures. The Customs Administration likewise continued to
strengthen its capacities. Police officials assert that their
cooperation with Customs has been effective. During first nine
months of 2008, police filed 338 criminal charges against 278
individuals for narcotics-related violations and made 280
seizures. Police estimated that the street value of confiscated
drugs was about 2,305,000 euros (equivalent to 2,958,921 U.S.
dollars).

Police seized:

* 201.8 kg of marijuana
* 21.630 kg of heroin
* 7.773 kg of cocaine
* 0.9 kg MDMA synthetic drug
* 0.1 kg amphetamine "speed"

By using improved methods and additional technical capabilities,
while building cooperation with other countries, Montenegrin
police disrupted several international smuggling operations.
Police cooperated actively with their counterparts in Australia,
Germany, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden,
Norway, and Denmark.

The investigations are mostly focusing on the organizers of
criminal groups, users, street dealers, and border seizures;

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major narcotics dealers are rarely arrested.

According to the Chief State Prosecutor's Office, during 2007
out of 453 cases reported by police, the prosecutor's office
indicted 391 persons plus 420 pending from the previous years,
making a total of 811. During the same period, 320 persons were
convicted for violations of Article 300 of the Criminal Code
(related to production, storage, and sale of narcotics) and
Article 301 (related to drug consumption). The sentencing for
drug law violations in 2007 increased 32.84 percent in
comparison to the previous five years.



Corruption. Corruption and the perception that corruption is
tolerated are common in Montenegro, and affect both law
enforcement and the judiciary. The Government attempts to
identify, prosecute, and punish instances of official
corruption, but does not specify whether the acts underlying
specific disciplinary actions and prosecutions are
narcotics-related or not. Laws that criminalize corrupt
activities by government employees address narcotics-related
corruption. There were no fact based-reports of cases linking
senior Government officials to the illicit narcotics trade,
though one senior opposition leader claimed that the Government
had links to a local "narco-cartel," but we have no information
to corroborate such allegations. The Government has
criminalized the production and distribution of narcotic and
psychotropic drugs as well as the laundering of proceeds from
illegal drug transactions, and enforces these laws. However,
public confidence in the Government's ability to combat
corruption remained weak. As a matter of government policy, the
GOM does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or
distribution of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other
controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from
illegal drug transactions. Montenegro is a party to the UN
Convention against Corruption.



Agreements and Treaties. Montenegro became an independent state
in June 2006, and has acceded to a number of multilateral
treaties to which the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was a
party or signatory, including the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the
1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1961 UN
Single Convention, as amended by the 1972 Protocol. Montenegro
is also party to the UN Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime and its protocols against migrant smuggling and
trafficking in persons. The 1902 extradition treaty between the
United States and the Kingdom of Serbia remains in force between
the U.S. and Montenegro, and the Law on International Legal Aid
in Criminal Matters (adopted in January 2008) is in force for
the matters not covered by the extradition treaty. Montenegro
acceded to the UN Convention against Corruption in June 2006.
Montenegro was admitted in Interpol in June 2006 and in SECI in
June 2008. In September 2008 Montenegro signed a strategic
partnership with EUROPOL as a step towards the membership.



Drug Flow/Transit. Organized crime groups use Montenegro as a
transit point for drug smuggling, due to the country's central
location and its topography-both coastal and mountainous.
Marijuana/ cannabis is believed to transit Montenegro by several
well established overland routes in private vehicles, by foot,
on mules, etc., smuggled from producers in Albania and Kosovo,
en route to the Western Balkans and Western Europe (primarily
Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Scandinavia). Heroin from
Southwest Asia (Afghanistan) transits Albania and Kosovo and is
smuggled to Montenegro in private vehicles before being
transported further into Western Europe. Cocaine is smuggled by
air and sea from South America (primarily Venezuela). The
Montenegrin police report that the summer influx of tourists
along Montenegro's coast has led to seasonal increases in use of
illegal drugs.



Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. The Institute for Public
Health believes that drug use is on the rise, including among
minors, but has no database to track the number of drug addicts.
The number of drug-related crimes is reportedly increasing. In
Montenegro there is only one psychiatric clinic for treating
drug addicts, and the facility's capacities are limited. Limited
treatment and rehabilitation activities also are carried out in
the hospitals in Podgorica and Niksic. Many patients used to go
for treatment to Belgrade at their own expense. On March 31,
2008 the Center for Resocialization and Rehabilitation of Drug
Addicts was opened in Podgorica. Government run prevention
programs for primary and secondary schools and NGOs assist with

PODGORICA 00000273 003.2 OF 003


some of these efforts. Community police officers visit the
schools to educate students about the risks associated with
drugs use. A task force composed of the Ministries of Health,
Labor and Social Welfare (Institute for Public Health),Interior
and Public Administration, Culture, Sports and Media, Justice,
Education and Science, local governments, and NGOs developed a
National Strategy for the Fight against Drugs. There were only a
few NGOs in Montenegro during 2008 dealing with drug related
issues.




4. US Policy Initiatives:



Bilateral Cooperation. MOI police and Customs officers
continued to receive U.S. funded training in anti-organized
crime operations and techniques. The U.S. continued to provide
training, technical advice, equipment and other assistance to
the Customs and MOI border police units. [



The Road Ahead. Accession to the EU and NATO remain
Montenegro's primary foreign policy goals, providing a strong
incentive to build up its criminal justice system to European
standards. The U.S. coordinates its assistance programs and
priorities with the EU and other international donors,
particularly in strengthening the rule of law, combating
corruption and developing an independent judiciary. The U.S.
plans to continue its bilateral assistance for promoting rule of
law in Montenegro, including suppression of narcotics
trafficking.
MOORE