CSTO MEMBER STATES TO DISCUSS ISSUES OF FIGHTING DRUG SMUGGLING

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 29 2006

YEREVAN, March 29 (Itar-Tass) – The Coordinating Council of the heads
of services for combating drug trafficking of member states of the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) will hold a regular
meeting in the Armenian capital on Wednesday.

Representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will analyse the results of the Kanal
(Channel) 2005 preventive operation and coordinate further actions
to counteract the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan. The
Council meeting participants intend to discuss the concept of the
establishment of a united databank of narcotic and psychotropic
substances circulation.

Operation Kanal that is conducted with the aim of counteracting drug
business on the “Northern route” of drug supply from Afghanistan to
Europe is an example of efficient counteraction of the CSTO member
states. In the course of two stages of the operation conducted in
December last year the authorised bodies of CSTO member states and
countries that joined the organisation as observers (Azerbaijan,
Iran, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, China and Ukraine) confiscated from
illegal circulation over 11 tonnes of narcotics, including some 550
kilogrammes of heroin, over one tonne of hashish, as well as 1,000
pieces of firearms and 38,000 rounds of ammunition. Over 7,500 criminal
cases were opened.

The Coordinating Council for combating drug trafficking was established
in May 2004 on a decision of the heads of the corresponding services
of the CSTO member states.