Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jul 2001
Source: Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)
Copyright: 2001 The Times of Central Asia
Section: World
Contact:  http://www.times.kg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1202

AFGHANISTAN REMAINS MAIN SUPPLIER OF ILLEGAL DRUGS TO CENTRAL ASIA AND CIS

ASTANA. A conference of the Coordinating Council of heads of border 
services of the CIS member states concurred that Afghanistan remains the 
main supplier of illegal drugs to Central Asia and the CIS. According to 
data of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention cited at the 
session, almost 80% of the Afghan economy is related to the production and 
circulation of illegal drugs, and 75% of the world production of raw opium 
is concentrated in that country. The participants of the session also 
pointed out that a considerable number of laboratories for producing, in 
particular heavy drugs, have lately been deployed in Afghan regions 
bordering Tajikistan. Each such laboratory is capable of producing up to 10 
kilos of heroin daily.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager