UNODC REPORTS GREATER COOPERATION FROM CENTRAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001192 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL ANDREW BUHLER AND ELIZABETH CARROLL ASTANA FOR NAS ANTHONY BEAVER DUSHANBE FOR NAS SCOTT WALDO ASHGABAT FOR P/E KRISTINE MARSH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM TX IR TI UZ ASEC SUBJECT: UNODC REPORTS GREATER COOPERATION FROM CENTRAL ASIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON COUNTER-NARCOTICS TASHKENT 00001192 001.2 OF 002 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (U) Summary: On September 19 poloff attended a donor coordination roundtable hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office in Central Asia. UNODC Senior Law Enforcement Advisor, Mark Colhoun, reported increased cooperation with law enforcement agencies in the five former Soviet republics and was optimistic about higher quality data being reported more promptly. Colhoun shared fresh statistics on heroin and opium seizures for the region and noted the quiet increase of cannabis cultivation. He also described how the skyrocketing black market price of acetic anhydride may encourage illicit homemade production of the precursor chemical. End summary. Fresh Data -------------- ¶2. (U) UNODC hosted a donor coordination meeting on September 19 at its Central Asian headquarters in Tashkent. Poloff attended along with diplomats from France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, and China. Colhoun shared recently compiled data on heroin seizures during the first half of 2008, in rank order as follows: Kazakhstan - 1,111 kilograms (kg); Tajikistan - 1,030 kg; Uzbekistan - 771 kg; Kyrgyzstan - 133 kg; and Turkmenistan - 112 kg. He mentioned that heroin seizures seem to be getting larger, citing as an example a recent 300 kg seizure in Uzbekistan outside of Tashkent. He reported that a Tajik chemist was recently arrested after illegally manufacturing five liters of acetic anhydride, a precursor chemical. UNODC believes that, due to stringent controls, the black market price for acetic anhydride has risen to USD 600 per liter, a tempting profit margin for Central Asians seeking to supplement meager incomes. ¶3. (U) Colhoun also provided data on opium seizures during the the first six months of 2008, as follows: Tajikistan - 1,359 kg; Turkmenistan - 496 kg; Uzbekistan - 433 kg; Kyrgyzstan - 38 kg; and Kazakhstan - 13 kg. Colhoun noted that the figures were almost negligible in the two countries -- Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan -- which do not share a common border with Afghanistan. He added that the large figure in Tajikistan could suggest that abuse of opium is on the rise and/or that labs may be relocating there from Afghanistan. ¶4. (U) Uzbekistan was the only Central Asian country to report an increase in drug-related crimes for the first half of 2008 relative to the same period in 2007, with the number rising from 5,405 to 5,737 (an increase of six percent according to UNODC figures). UNODC staff attributed the increase in part to higher quality data collection and reporting by Uzbek authorities rather than a deteriorating public safety situation. Colhoun also noted that cannabis cultivation is on the rise in Central Asia, which is often overlooked due to the focus on heroin and opium trafficking through the region. Cooperation on the Rise -------------- ¶5. (U) Colhoun observed that, overall, "a noticeable increase of cooperation" is occurring between UNODC and law enforcement agencies throughout Central Asia on counter-narcotics issues. He expressed optimism that this trend will continue, but he cautioned that it is difficult to discern whether increasing seizure statistics reflect an increase in trafficking volume or a marked improvement in TASHKENT 00001192 002.2 OF 002 enforcement efforts (as well as a more complete data set as agencies are more forthcoming with information). On Turkmenistan -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Colhoun cited Turkmenistan in particular as a country that is increasing its cooperation on counter-narcotics. For instance, he noted this year marked the first time Turkmen authorities provided seizure statistics for the first half of the year, which is valuable for UNODC's analysis of regional trends. In general, he said the Turkmen seizures are not large (although there was recently a 243 kg opium seizure near the Iranian border),but authorities are now reporting them very quickly. Colhoun added that Turkmen officials claim two-thirds of heroin seized originates in Iran, which raises the possibilities that labs are operating inside Iran. While there is no hard evidence of this, Colhoun noted "the possibility has to be looked at." ¶7. (SBU) Some diplomats present did not share Colhoun's optimism about Turkmenistan, however. The Tashkent-based German Law Enforcement Attache, Gerhard Neurehr (please protect),who also covers Turkmenistan, recently met with the head of the new Turkmen state drug control agency. Neurehr called the entity "disastrous," adding that "they have no idea about law enforcement." He also lamented that "everything is still a state secret" and stated "there are no genuine investigations." He said the Turkmen authorities relied on Turkish intelligence as a basis for marquee seizures rather than information gleaned on their own. The Tashkent-based Italian Law Enforcement Attache, Raffaelle Ungaro (please protect),who also covers Turkmenistan, added that during a recent training session for 50 young Turkmen officers (in the framework of the NATO-Russia Council) he found "the level was very low" and "most knew nothing about narcotics or what an investigation means." Mobile Precursor Teams -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Colhoun informed the group that UNODC has recently approached all five Central Asian governments to discuss a proposed project to establish mobile precursor teams. He said the idea was well-received in all five capitals, and he was surprised that there was even openness to multi-agency teams amongst often territorial law enforcement entities. UNODC plans to provide equipment and training before the teams are deployed. Comment: -------------- ¶9. (U) It is good news that UNODC is observing increasing cooperation from the five former Soviet Central Asian republics on counter-narcotics, but much work remains to be done. UNODC's regional mandate makes it a valuable coordination entity in a region where bilateral relations are often strained, bureaucratic, or underdeveloped. The new information demonstrates that the narcotics threat in Central Asia is constantly evolving, and laboratories producing drugs or precursor chemicals can shift locations in response to market forces and enforcement efforts. NORLAND