TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001036 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL/AAE BUHLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM SOCI TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: COUNTERNARCOTICS OFFICERS TRAINED TO CONDUCT NARCOTICS "FIELD TESTING" REF: ASHGABAT 1010 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On August 14, Post conducted training for officers of the State Counter Narcotics Service (SCNS) on the use of recently donated narcotics field testing systems. The training included demonstrations of various tests included in the kits. The mostly junior-level officers appreciated receiving the Narcotics Identification Kits and were excited to learn how to use them. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) Post's INL Locally Enployed Staff and a TDY U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent conducted the training for SCNS officers on the use of INL-funded Narcotics Identification Kits (NIK) that were donated to the SCNS last week as a part of the ongoing Counter-narcotics project (reftel). The DEA Special Agent led the training, which took place at the SCNS Training Center. Fifteen SCNS field officers, including five from the headquarters in Ashgabat and two from each of five provincial branches attended the training. Each officer was provided with a narcotics identification kit, rubber gloves and a Russian translation of the user's manual. ¶4. (SBU) The DEA Special Agent explained the purpose of the each individual test included in the kit and demonstrated how the tests were conducted. Powdered sugar was used as a test sample. The officers observed the demonstration attentively. Following the demonstration, one of the provincial officers commented that they usually seized heroin mixed with other substances, and asked if the test could identify the illicit substance if the suspected powder was not pure heroin. Another student added that they sometimes seize heroin in the form of tablets and asked about the testing procedures of suspected tablets. Officers showed interest in the Duquenois Levine tests for marijuana. An officer volunteered to conduct a Duquenois Levine test on a tree leaf in front of the class. During this experiment, an officer from Ashgabat commented that they should have brought real heroin or marijuana to see the proof positive test results. ¶5. (SBU) The group, consisting of mostly junior officers, was very active and attentive, asking questions and taking notes. Most of the SCNS officers present at the training had not previously heard about the substances like phencyclidine, methadone, methamphetamine, or propoxyphene, which they said are not found in the Turkmenistan. During the Q&A session, the first question asked was the price of the kit. Additionally, the students were interested to learn about common drugs in the United States and DEA seizures in the U.S. Several students were surprised to hear that in certain U.S. cities seizures of small amounts of marijuana are often times not prosecuted despite well established laws prohibiting possession of such substances. An officer from Lebap province was anxious to discuss with the DEA special agent why it was not easy for the U.S. to simply destroy all the poppy farms in Afghanistan, rather than investing millions in counternarcotics projects. ASHGABAT 00001036 002 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: None of the students were familiar with the field testing system using narcotics identification kits. The officers were pleased to receive the kits and promised to start using them as soon as they get back to their offices. Some of the officers commented that the kits would not only help them to conduct quick tests in the fields, but also to look professional. One of the provincial officers said, "This is the tool that will scare many pushers." END COMMENT. MILES