Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT513
2009-04-21 10:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: TAKING ON THE DRUG SUPPLIERS
how-toVZCZCXRO4958 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0513 1111048 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 211048Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2698 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 5115 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2865 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2730 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3359 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000513
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: TAKING ON THE DRUG SUPPLIERS
REF: Ashgabat 184
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000513
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: TAKING ON THE DRUG SUPPLIERS
REF: Ashgabat 184
1. (U) Another drug-related crime story was reported in the April
17th edition of Ashgabat weekly "Adalat" (Justice) newspaper:
According to Adalat, a 40-year old resident of Serdar (Balkan
Province) identified as Yazgeldi Ayimov, had previously been
convicted and imprisoned on drug charges, but then released under a
general presidential pardon. He allegedly purchased 24.3 grams of
heroin from an unidentified person at the Serdar train station last
November and was then detained by officers of the State Counter
Narcotics Service (SCNS) when he attempted to re-sell the heroin in
his neighborhood. Ayimov was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: In Turkmenistan, the vast majority of pardoned
drug traffickers and criminals are believed to head right back into
the drug business after they are released. Most of those in prison
are reportedly repeat offenders, serving a second, third, or fourth
sentence.
3. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: Sources report that in the past,
relatives of those convicted on drug charges were able to pay bribes
to police officials, prosecutors, judges, even those compiling the
presidential pardon lists in order to secure their release. Since
the establishment of the SCNS, however, the same sources say that it
has became almost impossible to bribe officials into dropping the
charges. President Berdimuhamedov reportedly has also stopped
including drug dealers in his regular large-scale presidential
pardon lists, all part of a governmental effort to go after drug
suppliers. Nevertheless, to take on the country's drug problem with
any real success, the government needs to face the factors that
contribute to the problem head-on, including unemployment, the
alarming lack of educational opportunities and an absence of
effective drug treatment programs. END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN AND INL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: TAKING ON THE DRUG SUPPLIERS
REF: Ashgabat 184
1. (U) Another drug-related crime story was reported in the April
17th edition of Ashgabat weekly "Adalat" (Justice) newspaper:
According to Adalat, a 40-year old resident of Serdar (Balkan
Province) identified as Yazgeldi Ayimov, had previously been
convicted and imprisoned on drug charges, but then released under a
general presidential pardon. He allegedly purchased 24.3 grams of
heroin from an unidentified person at the Serdar train station last
November and was then detained by officers of the State Counter
Narcotics Service (SCNS) when he attempted to re-sell the heroin in
his neighborhood. Ayimov was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: In Turkmenistan, the vast majority of pardoned
drug traffickers and criminals are believed to head right back into
the drug business after they are released. Most of those in prison
are reportedly repeat offenders, serving a second, third, or fourth
sentence.
3. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: Sources report that in the past,
relatives of those convicted on drug charges were able to pay bribes
to police officials, prosecutors, judges, even those compiling the
presidential pardon lists in order to secure their release. Since
the establishment of the SCNS, however, the same sources say that it
has became almost impossible to bribe officials into dropping the
charges. President Berdimuhamedov reportedly has also stopped
including drug dealers in his regular large-scale presidential
pardon lists, all part of a governmental effort to go after drug
suppliers. Nevertheless, to take on the country's drug problem with
any real success, the government needs to face the factors that
contribute to the problem head-on, including unemployment, the
alarming lack of educational opportunities and an absence of
effective drug treatment programs. END COMMENT.
MILES