The annual report of US State Department the 2011 Narcotics Control Strategy describes the efforts of key countries to attack all aspects of the international drug trade in Calendar Year 2010. The first part of the report covers drug and chemical control activities, the second – money laundering and financial crimes.
While examining the case of Georgia report states that because of its location bridging Asia and Europe, Georgia is becoming a major transit corridor for drugs of abuse produced elsewhere. Drugs transit through Georgia to Western Europe from Greece and Turkey, according to the report. Long-haul TIR trucks are believed to represent a major means for drug smuggling.
“The separatist territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are beyond the control of Georgian law enforcement, and there is speculation that drugs flow through these areas. This information cannot be verified as there is little or no exchange of information on drug trafficking between the Russian occupying forces or the de-facto governments of these territories and the Government of Georgia,” – states the report.
Report points out the shortcomings of current Georgian law such as that the possession of very small amounts of certain drugs would mean prosecution for intent to distribute as a drug dealer. It welcomes the movement to change Georgia’s drug possession laws that would rationalize the amounts thus allow law enforcement officials greater ability to focus limited resources on actual drug dealers.
While assessing the institutional developments report highlights the need of reform in the Georgian system of drug control. The absence of a detailed specific Anti-Drug National Action Plan is noted to be the first and most pressing gap. “The current Anti-Narcotics National Strategy established by the Parliament in 2007 only outlined main priorities; it lacks specifics to guide implementation. Coordination among institutions involved in drug related issues is also a problem. There is a lack of systemic drug preventive measures; treatment methods are developed with little or no attention given to social rehabilitation following detoxification. Information about dangerous drugs is inadequate, and statistics about drug use are limited and unreliable. Current national legislation does not conform to UN drug conventions’ requirements,” –states the report.
While indicating some of training/coordination problems report states that Special Operative officers have basic training in counter narcotics detection, but lack appropriate detection equipment. Though the customs service has been provided scanners through U.S. assistance, but the equipment is largely unused, according to the report.
Georgia’s agreement for visa free travel with the Islamic Republic of Iran is seen as a danger for more drugs entering Georgia if appropriate inspections and checks are not instituted and enforced.
In a conclusion, the US government is encouraging better inter-agency cooperation through development of an interagency task force model and expresses readiness to continue supporting Georgia’s efforts with equipment and advisory support.
Please follow the link to see the report: http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2011/index.htm
Nino Tsagareishvili
