2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS

UNCLAS TALLINN 000384 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL AND EUR/NB COPENHAGEN FOR DEA ANTON KOHUT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR EN SUBJECT: 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL - ESTONIA REF: A) STATE 100992 B) TALLINN 10 ¶1. (U) The following is Embassy Tallinn's submission for the 2008 - 2009 (EUR) International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) Part I, Drugs and Chemical Control. -------------- ¶I. SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (U) The seizures of record amounts of narcotic substances, destruction of cannabis plantations and detection of drug trafficking conspiracies, as well as arrests of Estonian drug traffickers abroad indicate drug production and transit activity are ongoing in Estonia. They are also indications of the success of counternarcotics efforts by Estonian law enforcement agencies. Except for the higher HIV-infection rate among intravenous drug users, the drug situation in Estonia is similar to that in other European countries. Estonia is a party to the main international drug control conventions, including the UN Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988). -------------- II. STATUS OF THE COUNTRY -------------- ¶3. (U) Trimethylphentanyl- an opiate-synthetic drug "White Persian," and heroin continue to be Estonia's most popular illegal narcotics in 2008, but ecstasy, amphetamines, gammahydroxylbutyrate (GHB),cannabis and poppy are also available in Estonia. The frequent arrests of drug traffickers at the border and seizure of precursors (see para 14) indicate Estonia's involvement in synthetic drugs production. While its cold climate inhibits Estonia from being a major drug cultivator, in five months Estonian police detected and destroyed five cannabis plantations demonstrating drug dealers' intentions to start supplying the domestic market locally (see para 11). Also, in recent years a number of Estonian drug traffickers have been arrested in foreign countries, showing that Estonian drug traffickers are involved in the international illegal drug trade (see para 10). Seizures of large quantities of narcotic substances by Estonian law enforcement agencies indicate that Estonia is located on a drug transit route in the region but also that Estonian Police and Customs and Border Guard are making special efforts to reign in the illegal drug trade. ¶4. (U) According to Government of Estonia (GOE) and NGO estimates, there are about 14,000 intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Estonia - about one per cent of the population. Due to the large number of IDUs, Estonia has the highest growth rate per capita of HIV infections in Europe. As of October 2008, a total of 6,808 cases of HIV have been registered nationwide, 444 of which were registered in ¶2008. To date, AIDS has been diagnosed in a total of 247 people, 56 of whom were diagnosed in 2008. Male IDUs still account for the largest share of newly registered HIV cases. However, in 2008, young women made up 32 percent of new HIV cases, indicating that the HIV epidemic is starting to spread to the general population. (NOTE: The women making up these new cases come largely from among IDUs and their sexual partners. END NOTE) -------------- III. COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS -------------- ¶5. (U) POLICY INIATIVES. Estonia's domestic anti- narcotics legal framework is in compliance with international drug conventions and European Union (EU) narcotics regulations. As of January 1, 2008, the final provisions of the Law Amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (LANDPSA) adopted in 2007 came into force. The last amendments regulating identification of narcotic psychotropic substances and precursors brought the domestic law into compliance with the United Nations (UN) Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. ¶6. (U) Following Estonia's accession to the European Union Schengen visa convention in 2008, the number of Finnish 'drug-tourists' travelling to Estonia legally to buy psychotropic medicines has decreased significantly. Under the Schengen regime, a traveler on narcotic or psychotropic medication needs a permit from the State Agency of Medicine (SAM). Further in 2008, in order to eliminate illegal medical drug exportation to neighboring countries (primarily Finland),the Minister of Social Affairs issued a decree to terminate the sales of the narcotic preparation Subotex in drug stores. After January 1, 2009, Subotex will be available only for in- patients. ¶7. (U) In 2008, the GOE continued implementation of its 2007-09 Action Plan based on the National Strategy on Prevention of Drug Dependency for 2004-2012, adopted in ¶2003. Activities continued in all six objectives of the strategy: prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, harm reduction, demand reduction, addressing the problem of drugs in prisons, and overall monitoring and evaluation of the Action Plan. ¶8. (U) Also in 2008, Estonia continued to implement its national 2006-2015 anti-HIV/AIDS strategy, which pledges to bring about a steady reduction in the spread of HIV and improve the quality of life of people with the disease. The strategy pays special attention to programs for various at-risk groups, including IDUs, which currently form the largest sub-group within the HIV positive population. The GOE plans to focus its prevention efforts on young people and their parents, with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of new cases of HIV to the European regional average of 50-70 cases per one million people per year, or one-tenth the current rate. ¶9. (U) After the United Nations Global Fund (GF) to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria finished its four-year program in Estonia in 2007, the GOE committed to take over all HIV-related activities carried out under Global Fund's $10.4 million grant. (Ref B) While the Ministry of Social Affairs has overall coordinating responsibility, each cabinet Minister is responsible for HIV prevention, harm reduction and treatment in his or her administrative area (i.e., Ministry of Justice - HIV in prisons; Ministry of Defense - HIV in defense forces; Ministry of Education and Research (MOER) - HIV prevention in schools and colleges). In 2008, all involved ministries except for the MOER carried out their responsibilities under the anti-HIV strategy. MOER has not prioritized HIV education and has not implemented mandated programs. As the HIV-epidemic in Estonia is predominantly drug-driven, narcotics prevention has formed a considerable part of the extensive HIV/AIDS prevention programs in the schools implemented by NGOs under the GF program. As these programs were put on hold in 2008, there may also be a negative impact on drug prevention efforts in schools. ¶10. (U) Under the anti-HIV strategy, the GOE established a governmental committee to coordinate HIV and drug abuse prevention activities in 2006. The committee comprises representatives from the Ministries of Social Affairs, Education and Research, Defense, Internal Affairs, Justice, and Finance. The committee also includes representatives of local governments, the World Health Organization, organizations for people living with HIV/AIDS, and members of the original working groups that drafted the GOE's 2005-2015 anti-HIV/AIDS strategy. It reports directly to the Cabinet on a bi-annual basis. ¶11. (U) LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. Combating narcotics is a major priority for Estonian law enforcement agencies. Police, customs officials and the border guard maintain good cooperation on counter-narcotics activities. Currently, about 90 police officers work solely on drug issues. Their primary mission is to destroy international drug rings, rather than to catch individual suppliers. In addition to these full time counter- narcotics officers, all local constables also process drug-related misdemeanor acts. From January-August 2007, the Estonian police registered 1,034 drug-related criminal cases and 4,333 misdemeanor acts. The year-by- year increase in the number of drug related crimes investigated by police is evidence that the Estonian Police are increasing their efforts to reign in the illegal drug trade. As Estonia's major weekly newspaper recently reported, the disappearance of cannabis from the domestic market was a direct result of several counter- narcotics operations carried out by police. From December 2007 to May 2008, police detected five major cannabis plantations and destroyed over 1,200 plants. In May, a criminal case was started against two men from Tallinn growing cannabis in central Estonia. During the operation the police seized 760 cannabis plants plus 'ready-made products', the largest number of cannabis plants ever seized in Estonia. ¶12. (U) In June, officers of the North Police Prefecture drug squad seized 36.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, a record amount of this substance confiscated from criminals in Estonia. The seizure amounted to an estimated 70,000 doses with a total street value of $1.6 million. According to the prosecutor, such a large amount was clearly not intended just for the Estonian market. During the same operation 5.2 kilograms of hashish were also confiscated. In September, together with the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (ETCB),the drug squad of the Northern Prefecture arrested an Estonian who had swallowed capsules containing 700 grams of pure cocaine with a street value of $250,000. He had been tasked to take the capsules from the West African coast to London, but flew to Tallinn instead, where he was arrested. ¶13. (U) According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from January 2006 to June 2008, 89 Estonian drug traffickers have been arrested abroad. Fifteen of these came in the first six months of 2008 (10 in Europe, three in South America, two in the U.S.) ¶14. (U) Combating the illicit narcotics trade is also a top priority for the ETCB. All customs, investigation, and information officers have received special training in narcotics control, and all customs border points are equipped with rapid drug tests. There are about 100 customs officers working on the Estonia-Russian border (the European Union's easternmost border). About 150 Customs officers work in mobile units all over Estonia. Six customs officers deal with information analysis and 14 officers from the Investigation Department specialize solely on narcotic- related crimes. All four Customs regions have a designated narcotics control liaison officer, and are supported by narcotics analysts in the Tallinn headquarters. There are 18 Customs teams with 21 drug sniffing dogs. (NOTE: Estonian drug sniffing dogs are among the best in Europe. They recently won prizes at an international contest for customs drug dogs. END NOTE) In March, a drug sniffing dog detected 36 bottles (about 22 liters) of precursor for amphetamine in the car of a Lithuanian citizen. The seizure prevented up to 20 kilograms of amphetamine from reaching the streets. During several operations from December 2007 through April 2008, customs investigators seized about three kilos of marijuana with a street value of $90,000 that involved the same criminal group acting in different sites in Estonia. ¶15. (U) CORRUPTION. Estonia is a relatively corruption- free country, receiving high scores on international corruption and economic transparency indices, and out- performing all other new EU member states, except for Slovenia, and some of the old EU-15 countries. The GOE does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. There are no reports of any senior official of the GOE engaging in, encouraging, or facilitating the illicit production or distribution of narcotic substances. ¶16. (U) AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES. Estonia is party to the main international drug control conventions: the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961),the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971),the UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988),and the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure, and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime (1990). A 1924 extradition treaty, supplemented in 1934, remains in force between the United States and Estonia, and a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters was entered into by the countries in 2000. In 2006, the Estonian Parliament ratified a new Estonian-U.S. extradition agreement and a revised agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. The new agreement is in compliance with agreements previously signed between the EU and the United States as well as a 2002 decision of the EU Council concerning arrest warrants and transfer procedures. The agreement is not yet in force, as ratification is pending in U.S. Senate. Estonia is a party to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three protocols. Estonia's domestic drug legislation is consistent with international laws combating illicit drugs. ¶17. (U) CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION. Estonia's cold climate precludes it from becoming a major drug cultivator. However, the recent destruction of cannabis plantations show Estonians' involvement in small scale marijuana production for the domestic market (see para 11). Also, in northeastern Estonia small amounts of poppies are grown for domestic consumption. Nevertheless, seized precursors at the border indicate that synthetic narcotics production is ongoing in Estonia. According to drug-prevention NGOs, most of the labs are very small and mobile, making it difficult to detect and close them. In addition to production for domestic consumption, synthetic drugs produced in Estonia are exported to neighboring countries, including the Nordic countries and northwestern Russia. According to press reports, 90 percent of amphetamine available on the Finnish market comes from or via Estonia. ¶18. (U) DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT. Estonia's geographical position makes it attractive to drug smugglers. Frequent arrests of drug traffickers and seizures of narcotic substances at the border indicate Estonia's involvement in the international drug trade, but also demonstrate the high performance level of Estonian law enforcement agencies. Frequent arrests of Estonian drug traffickers around the world show their involvement in the international drug trade. ¶19. (U) DOMESTIC PROGRAMS/DEMAND REDUCTION. In 2008, Estonia continued to implement its 2004-2012 National Strategy on the Prevention of Drug Dependency. Combating the drug trade and reigning in domestic consumption continue to be high priorities for all Estonian law enforcement agencies and for key government ministries. There are more than 60 governmental, non-governmental, and private entities in Estonia working with IDUs to provide services to decrease demand and reduce harm. Currently, there are six voluntary HIV testing and counseling centers providing services at ten sites. The GOE and local governments fund these centers. A needle exchange program is operational in 43 sites, including 13 field work areas and a number of mobile needle exchange stations are in operation in Tallinn and northeast Estonia. Six organizations provide methadone treatment at eight sites in Tallinn and northeast Estonia. A toll- free helpline for drug addicts is operational 24 hours a day. 18 organizations provide drug rehabilitation services. There are 11 major rehabilitation centers nationwide, four of which are church-sponsored. -------------- IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs -------------- ¶20. (U) In 2008, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) negotiated with the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) the second phase of a project entitled "DOD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program" to raise the awareness of military personnel and to assist in the creation of a sustainable EDF HIV/AIDS prevention system. In the second phase the EDF will procure rapid tests to map the HIV situation among conscripts. In June 2008, post's Office of Defense Cooperation issued a USD 200,000 grant under its humanitarian assistance program, to complete construction of the first ever rehabilitation center for drug-addicted women. ¶21. (U) Post utilized the Department's International Visitors Program on HIV in 2008 to familiarize Estonian experts with U.S. practices in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In October, under the Department's Voluntary Visitors Program, six Estonian HIV case management experts visited the best HIV case management program sites in the United States. -------------- ¶V. Statistical Tables -------------- ¶22. N/A -------------- VI. CHEMICAL CONTROL ISSUES -------------- ¶23. (U) Estonia's principal legislation on chemical controls - the Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors (ANPSP) - implements the 1988 UN Drug Convention objectives and is in full compliance with EU legislation on drug precursors. In accordance with the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substance, the ANPSP categorizes chemical substances into three categories. None of the substances in any of the three categories are produced in Estonia. ¶24. (U) The first specified controlled substance category under the ANPSP includes ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Under the law, a license is needed to possess, market, import, export, or broker these substances. The Bureau of Import, Export, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of the State Agency of Medicine (SAM) is responsible for chemical control in Estonia. Currently, the SAM has issued one ephedrine handling license to a wholesaler who obtains the substance from within the EU common market. The SAM has not issued any licenses to import or export ephedrine to or from third countries. The annual use of ephedrine in Estonia is about six kilograms. The GOE has a pre-export notification procedure even though Estonia does not manufacture medicines that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. ¶25. (U) Potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride are included in the ANPSP's second category of controlled substances. Annual use in Estonia for both substances is less than one hundred kilos, although SAM contacts tell us that in the future they may have to refer USG requests for such data to Brussels for a centralized EU response. In order to handle, market, import, or export potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride, the producing and marketing venue must be registered with the SAM. Currently, the SAM registry includes 15 companies that process potassium permanganate, and eight companies that process acetic anhydride. These companies are primarily involved in importing these substances from the EU or marketing them within the EU. In order to export potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride, an export license and a pre-export notification are required. Neither potassium permanganate nor acetic anhydride is produced in Estonia, and the SAM has not issued any licenses to export these substances to third countries. The third category of drugs under the ANPSP is not relevant to this report. PHILLIPS