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1-Global trends in Drug Production and
Trafficking
1-1- World Drug Production
According to the World Drug Report released by the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the total area under
opium cultivation rose to 235,700 ha in 2007. This increase
of 17% from 2006 puts global cultivation at just about the
same level, though still marginally lower, than the 238,000
ha recorded in 1998. Although there was some growth in
South-East Asian poppy cultivation, the global increase was
almost entirely due to the 17% expansion of cultivation in
Afghanistan, which is now 193,000 ha. With Afghanistan
accounting for 82% of world opium cultivation, the
proportion of South-East Asian expansion in overall
cultivation was small. It is not unimportant, however, as it
reverses six straight years of decline. Opium poppy
cultivation in Myanmar increased 29%, from 21,500 ha in 2006
to 27,700 ha, in 2007. Afghanistan’s higher yielding opium
poppy led to a second year of global opium production
increases. Opium production almost doubled between 2005 and
2007, reaching 8,870 mt in 2007, a level unprecedented in
recent years. In 2007, Afghanistan alone accounted for over
92% of global opium production. (UNODC, World Drug Report,
2008)
Coca cultivation increased in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru in
2007. In Colombia, the area under cultivation expanded 27%
to 99,000 ha. Increases for Bolivia and Peru were much
smaller: 5% and 4% respectively. In total, coca cultivation
increased 16% in 2007. Crops, however, were either not well
tended or planted in poor yielding areas, as potential
cocaine production only grew by 1% overall to 992 mt.
Estimates of cannabis herb production show a slight decline
for the second straight year in 2006, seeming to reverse the
upward trend that began in the early 1990s. Global cannabis
herb production is now estimated to be 41,400 mt, down from
42,000 mt in 2005 and 45,000 in 2004. Cannabis yields
continue to vary considerably and extremely high yielding
hydroponically grown cannabis continues to be a cause for
concern. Global cannabis resin production estimates fell
around 10% from 6,600 mt in 2005 to 6,000 mt in 2006
(midpoint estimates). Global annual prevalence remained
almost unchanged, going from 3.8% to 3.9% between 2005/06
and 2006/07. (Ibid)
ATS production has remained in the range of 450-500 mt since
in 2000. In 2007 global ATS production increased slightly to
494 mt. There has been a decline in ecstasy production (from
113 mt in 2005 to 103 mt in 2006), and a decrease in
methamphetamine production (from 278 mt to 267 mt) which is
again compensated by an increase in global amphetamine
production (from 88 mt to 126 mt). The global annual
prevalence rate remained 0.6% for amphetamines and 0.2% for
ecstasy. (Ibid)
1-2- Global trends in Drug Trafficking
Only seizures for cannabis herb and the opiates grew year on
year in 2006. The quantity of cannabis herb seized grew 12%
to 5,200 mt in 2005, while the quantity of resin seizures
declined by roughly 25% - most likely still reflecting a
decline in production in Morocco. Cannabis herb seizures,
however, were 27% down compared to 2004 (their post-1998
peak). A significant decline in cannabis plants seized was
recorded in 2006. Seizures of opium and morphine grew 10%
and 31% respectively in 2006, reflecting continued
production increases in Afghanistan. Heroin seizures,
however, stabilized in 2006. Following five straight years
of expansion, the quantity of cocaine seized fell by 5% in
2006. (Ibid)
This is consistent with the stabilization of overall cocaine
production in the 2004 to 2006 period. The quantities of
amphetamine, methamphetamine and ecstasy seized were all
down between 8% and 15% from 2005 to 2006. Overall ATS
seizures increased by 2% reflecting seizures of non
specified ATS, including "captagon" tablets. (Ibid)
2- Entry of drugs into Iran and counter-measures
In the previous years, the volume of the seizure of drugs
passing through Iran has had a considerable growth.
Influenced by a 17% rise in drug cultivation and production
in Afghanistan in 2007, the entry of drugs into Iran has
experienced an ascending trend.
The rise in the seizure of different types of
drugs except hashish and the rise in the number of arrested
drug smugglers and dismantled rings in the previous year are
indicative of the intensification of measures by the Islamic
Republic of Iran in fighting drug trafficking.
The following items indicate changing trends from 2007 to
2008:
Heroin seizure increased from 13263 kilos to 19824 kilos
(49% increase);
Crack seizures increased from 430 kilos to 3305 kilos
(669% increase);
Opium seizure increased from 427217 kilos to 562059 kilos
(32% increase);
Ice seizure increased from 39 kilos to 150 kilos (285%
increase);
Other Drugs (as like as Grass) seizure increased from 6052
kilos to 20804 kilos (244% increase);
Drugs Burnt in the course of operations increased from
7848 kilos to 11119 kilos (42% increase);
The number of arrested drug traffickers increased from
126236 persons to 231487 persons (83% increase);
The number of dismantled drug rings increased from 2349
rings to 2391 rings (2% increase);
21000 kilos of precursors have been seized.
Meanwhile the number of arrested drug abusers has decreased
from 285152 persons to 12467 persons (96% decrease).
3-Major counter-measures
In the past several years, the rise in drug cultivation and
production in Afghanistan has caused an increase in the
number of operations and counter-measures. In the past year,
effective measures have been carried out, the most important
of which are as the following:
3-1- Establishing and equipping Rasoul-e-Akram base
Rasoul-e-Akram base became operational in 2006. The base
seeks to act as a coordinating body in measures along the
eastern borders particularly the province of Sistan &
Baluchistan. More than 50000 forces are present at the base
so as to pave the way for swift and effective operations
against drug traffickers.
Counter Trafficking troops
stationed at Rasoule-e-Akram base
3-2- Engineering and construction measures
along the borderline
Engineering and construction activities include;
construction of 826 kilometers of embankments, digging
canals with the length of 717 kilometers, construction of
New Jersey concrete walls (70.5 km), road construction and
operations for mending roads (116 km), mending embankments
and canals (359.5 km), blocking passageways (37 cases) and
setting up barbed wire and fences (131.8 km).
Construction of concrete walls
and barbed fences along Iran- Afghanistan border
3-3- Implementation of integrated border
control plan I50
The plan that has been implemented based on an agreement
reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan and
Afghanistan seeks to strengthen border control management in
common border points. Within this plan, the UNODC supports
the aforementioned project technically, logistically and
financially. Of course, the integrated border control
agreement was reached in 2006. But practical measures were
launched in 2007. In line with this, a mini-Dublin
delegation traveled to Iran and obtained part of the credits
required for the implementation of the plan.
Counter drug trafficking troops
stationed along borderline
3-4- Establishment
of Anti-Narcotics Department at the Customs Administration
Based on national drug countering law, all organizations
that are members of the Drug Control Headquarters have been
obliged to set up an anti-narcotics department. Due to
follow-up measures by the Drug Control Headquarters and
measures adopted by the Customs Administration, the
anti-narcotics department became operational at the Customs
Administration. This is an important measure due to the
issue of precursors control and the conversion of opium to
morphine and heroin in Afghanistan. The said department is
tasked with a supervisory role, follow-up action and seizure
of illicit consignments.
3-5- Dismantling of smuggling networks
As it was mentioned earlier, 2391 drug smuggling networks
were dismantled in 2008. Some of these dismantled smuggling
rings are as the following:
3-5-1- The international drug smuggling ring smuggling drugs
from Pakistan to Iran and from Iran to Europe
Based on reliable information concerning activities by an
international ring led by Mansour Ata'ee, Khosro Salmasi and
Ramin Sadri who were involved in obtaining morphine
consignment from Pakistan and their transfer to Qazvin and
conversion of said substances at a dairy farm, the members
of the anti-narcotics force conducted surveillance measures
and managed to identify a number of Bulgarian lorries that
entered the dairy farm for the transfer of drugs. The
required information including the license plate numbers of
the said trucks were passed on to the Turkish police via the
Islamic Republic of Iran's drug liaison officer stationed in
Turkey. The Turkish police managed to seize 109 kilos of
heroin from the identified Bulgarian Lorries on March 31 &
April 1, 2008. Prior to this, the Iranian police in an
operation against this drug smuggling ring managed to seize
529 kilos of morphine, 232 kilos of heroin, 732 kilos of
opium, three Kalashnikov rifles and two colt hand guns. It
is to be noted that the phone numbers that were revealed
following the operation were immediately passed on to the
Turkish police.
3-5-2- Identification of an international ring involved in
smuggling of drugs to Arab states of the Persian Gulf region
Following intelligence exchange between the police forces of
Iran and Saudi Arabia and intelligence and technical
cooperation, the officials of Saudi Arabia and Yemen were
informed about the geographical and maritime position of a
vessel. Unfortunately, the vessels that carried narcotic
drugs managed to flee from the scene. But in a separate
operation based on intelligence offered to Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan and Yemen by the Islamic Republic of Iran's drug
liaison officer based in Pakistan, managed to seize 20 kilos
of hashish and later seized 1700 kilos of hashish carried by
a vessel.
Following the said operations, the Iranian police managed to
arrest a drug trafficker named Ahmad Shalibar and five other
accomplices and as a result two Arab hostages named Seif
Taleb (Yemeni citizen) and Moshaf Farhan Samari (Saudi
citizen) were released.
2057 kg of drugs seized in the
course of an operation
3-5-3- Dismantling of an international ring
involved in smuggling of drugs to European countries
Following the interception of an Iranian truck in Turkey and
the seizure of 136 kilos of heroin, surveillance efforts
were immediately launched in Iran. Relevant phone numbers
were exchanged between Iranian and Turkish police. Finally,
on September 9, 2008 the main elements of the drug smuggling
ring were arrested and 40 kilos of heroin and a hand gun
were seized. In continuation of the said operation, names
and foreign phone numbers related to the drug smuggling ring
were revealed and the relevant information were given to
Turkish officials via the Iranian DLO based in Turkey.
Burning of seized narcotics
3-6- Launching of the National Drug Control
System (NDS) at the Health Ministry
NDS is a computerized system which facilitates the daily
management of licit movements, production, distribution and
consumption as well as international trade in all controlled
substances in both raw material form as well as in the form
of pharmaceutical preparations.
Prior to the application of the said software at the Health
Ministry's department for supervising medicine and drugs,
all reports related to drugs under control were prepared
manually and submitted to INCB. With the application of this
software, all the required data are immediately reported to
INCB using the online system.
3-7- Visit by ambassadors to the border areas
A number of ambassadors, the INCB secretary and the UNODC
representative in Tehran along with 21 domestic and foreign
journalists visited the eastern border areas on November 29,
2008 in order to make other countries familiar with the
anti-drug efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The
delegation initially visited Rasoul-e-Akram base in the city
of Zahedan and held talks with relevant authorities. Later,
they visited an exhibition and Tasuki border point and
learned about different activities by the Iranian forces in
the fields of operation, intelligence, engineering,
equipment, etc.
Mini Dublin ambassadors
visiting Iran -Afghanistan border
3-8- Launching of the
“Regional Information Exchange Center”
One of the most important solutions for a joint and
coordinated move against drug smuggling networks is the
stationing of drug liaison officers. In line with this, the
Islamic Republic of Iran has stationed DLOs in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Turkey. These countries as well as a number of
other neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia have
adopted measures for dispatching DLOs to Iran.
In order to assist the DLOs in fulfilling their
duties, it is necessary to create mechanisms for
facilitating the exchange of intelligence among the DLOs.
For this reason, the Islamic Republic of Iran last year set
up the regional information exchange center. The center was
visited by the UNODC representative and the ambassador of
Afghanistan in Iran on December 31, 2008. The center will be
used for exchange of information after the stationing of the
DLOs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Afghanistan and
Pakistan. In addition to this, the center can act as a
bridge for the exchange of information with other regional
and trans-regional countries.
3-9- Approval of the law on money-laundering
With regard to the sensitivity of the issue of
money-laundering, the law for countering money-laundering
was approved by the Iranian parliament (Islamic Consultative
Assembly) on January 21, 2009 and was submitted for
implementation. Based on this law, the supreme council for
countering money-laundering will be established. The
Commerce Minister, the Interior Minister, Minister of
Information, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, and
the Governor of Central Bank will be the members of the said
council. A special committee has also been set up for
enforcing the said law. Among the measures adopted in this
regard one can make reference to the formation of four
working groups including the working group for designing the
structure and secretariat of the council, the working group
for setting up the Financial Information Unit (FIU), the
working group for international affairs and the working
group for legal affairs. In the meantime, a two-day training
seminar was held in May 2008 in cooperation with an
accredited British company focusing on the issue of
countering money-laundering and sources of financial support
for terrorism. In addition to this, the Islamic Republic of
Iran has had close cooperation with the Financial Action
Task Force on Money-Laundering (FATF) and has adopted
measures in conformity with international agreements and
regulations.
3-10- The DLO project
The issue of up-to-date and timely communication and
interaction among border guards of Iran, Pakistan and
Afghanistan was taken into consideration and it was decided
to designate certain points along the border line or
marginal areas in line with trilateral agreements and the
integrated border control management plan. In this way, the
representatives of the border guard or the anti-narcotics
police of the three countries will be stationed at the
designated points and it will technically and practically
become feasible for them to engage in immediate and timely
exchange of news and information if necessary. Dogharoon
region in Khorassan Razavi province was designated as one of
the sensitive and important points for such interaction in
Iran. The project is being followed up by Iran.
4- Precursor control
The Islamic Republic of Iran in order to control the illegal
production of dangerous drugs in Afghanistan and by
practicing control over customs and transit routes leading
to that country has carried out a variety of measures aimed
at preventing drug entry (lists included in the 1987
Convention). The Islamic Republic of Iran by joining TARCET
Operation has boosted its activities. In the meantime, by
making use of supervisory mechanisms and establishment of
the national supervisory committee on precursors, the
Islamic Republic of Iran has managed to control the trade in
the production and industrial sectors in different
industries.
In order to further comply with the law in measures aimed at
preventing the smuggling of precursors, the Headquarters
prepared and submitted to relevant organizations a procedure
related to controlling precursors' trade. In order to make
this procedure operational, the national committee for
overseeing precursors and all processes related to
precursors' imports, exports, production, consumption ,etc
was established. In line with this, in 2008 in the course of
two operations more than 21,000 tons of illicit precursors
and chemical substances were seized in Bandar Abbas and the
relevant international bodies were immediately informed.
5- Losses
In its efforts for countering illicit drugs and precursor
control, the Islamic Republic of Iran has sustained major
life and property losses the most important of which are as
the following:
3600 martyrs and 11000 disabled;
Allocation of more than 600 million dollars for blocking
the eastern borders of the country and implementing
technical and engineering measures for blocking the entry of
drugs. With respect to the exacerbating situation of drug
production in Afghanistan further allocation of budget is
required in future.
Due to the prevailing situation in the border areas and
nearby zones, the necessity for constant holding of
exercises by the Police force and the massive presence of
Police and security forces in these areas, the normal life
of the inhabitants has become impossible. For this reason,
the people there have sustained heavy losses during the past
years. In order to make up for such losses and prevent
people from engaging in illegal actions such as smuggling,
the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has so far
allocated considerable budgets for sustaining the livelihood
of these people.
3600 martyred and 11000
disabled during the long war with the drug traffickers
6- Confiscation of seized assets
In virtue of article 28 of the Anti-Narcotics Act of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, any property earned through
smuggling and the assets of escaped offenders subject to
this act, if there is enough evidence, shall be confiscated
in favor of Government. Based on the same article, any
vehicle which is seized after armed clash with illicit drug
traffickers shall be confiscated in favor of the operating
agency.
Article 29 of the Anti-Narcotics Act also reiterates that
the fines and other funds received through the enforcement
of this act shall be imbued into a centralized account that
will be opened with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and
Finance. In order to fulfill the goals set by the national
plan for the campaign against narcotic drugs, the Government
includes the required credits for the implementation of
programs approved by the Headquarters within the country's
annual budget.
Smugglers vehicles confiscated
by the government
In line with this, the Islamic Republic of
Iran's Drug Control Headquarters has set up a committee for
identifying drug traffickers' properties and assets and has
submitted the relevant by-law and procedure to relevant
bodies for implementation.
Based on the existing records, from 2005 till the end of
2008, nearly 150 billion Rials have been gained by selling
the confiscated properties and later deposited at the
treasury for strengthening the Government in its campaign
against illicit drugs. In the meantime, 2824 light and heavy
vehicles that carried narcotics have been confiscated in
favor of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
within the same period of time. These vehicles have been
handed over to law enforcement units and other organizations
involved in the fight against illicit drugs.
Houses earned through smuggling
confiscated by the government
7- Requirements and obligations
With respect to rising consumption of drugs such as heroin
and compact heroin in most regional countries such as Iran,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey and Central Asian states,
these drugs must be given top priority in the campaign
against illicit drugs;
While taking into account the said priority, one should
bear in mind that it is not feasible to produce
semi-synthetic drugs without precursors. Hence, Afghanistan
and its neighboring states must attach special significance
to the need for controlling precursors.
Major portion of the compact heroin is produced in
Afghanistan. Hence, it is necessary for the government of
Afghanistan and the multi-national forces stationed in that
country to constantly identify labs that produce the said
drug and carry out measures for dealing blows to these labs.
One of the major necessities is the obtaining of the
required equipment and technical needs of the border guard
and the anti-narcotics police. |
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