Trafficking in Narcotics—International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report

The United Nations’ International Narcotics Control Board [hereinafter INCB] has released its annual report and its findings concerning various drug crimes are quite interesting.

For example, the most-used drug in Africa is cannabis—“abused by over 34 million persons.”^[1] Morocco, which produces more than 40 % of the world’s cannabis resin and 80 % of the cannabis resin used in Europe, has seen its production decrease by 10 % “as a result of intervention by the Government.”^[2] According to the report, “[d]rug traffickers are increasingly using West African countries along the Gulf of Guinea for smuggling cocaine from Latin America into Europe and, to a lesser extent, into North America.”^[3] In Southern Africa, methamphetamine use is growing exponentially.^[4] Most methamphetamine in South Africa is imported from China, but domestic production seems to be on the rise.^[5]

In the Central America and Caribbean region, the well-documented drug trade continues to be a problem. While most countries in the region have “established national plans to deal with the drug problem, they have experienced difficulties in implementing the plans, mainly due to lack of human and financial resources.”^[6] The region as a whole has seen the seizure of 30 tons of cocaine, with Nicaragua being the country with the highest total seizures (6.2 tons).^[7] Cannabis continues to be a high-volume drug, with 1,700 tons seized in Trinidad and Tobago.^[8]

In North America, according to the INCB, “non-medical use of prescription drugs now rivals the abuse of all other drugs.”^[9] OxyContin and benzodiazepines are often on the list of highly-abused prescription drugs, and transdermal patches containing a slow-release dose of fentanyl are “increasingly being abused, causing 115 overdose deaths in 2004.”^[10]

In South America, Colombia is making great strides in the decrease of illicit coca bush cultivation, but that slack is being picked up by Bolivia and Peru.^[11] Coca cultivation, in fact, is increasing in the region, as is the production of methamphetamine and Ecstasy.^[12]

In East and South-East Asia, opium poppy cultivation has decreased in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic [hereinafter LPDR] and in Myanmar, though the latter country “remains the main source of illicit opium in East and South-East Asia.”^[13] The LPDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam are considered non-significant suppliers of illicit opiates, but there are suggestions that the LPDR may be a transit country for the trafficking of heroin.^[14] Methamphetamine and Ecstasy production is also increasing in the region.^[15]

In South Asia, opium production continues to be a problem in India, while in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, pharmaceuticals—some containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances—are available without prescriptions.^[16] Injected drugs are becoming increasingly popular in India, supplanting inhaled drugs, and Sri Lanka continues to “be used as an important trans-shipment point for heroin consignments from Afghanistan and India destined for countries in other regions, in particular Europe.”^[17]

In West Asia, Afghanistan continues to see a rise in the production of opium and the importation of prescription drugs.^[18] Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and Tajikistan “continue to be the main countries used as trans-shipment points for consignments of Afghan heroin, destined for illicit markets,” mainly Europe and North America.^[19] The United Arab Emirates also is a trans-shipment point, with an increasing amount of drug trafficking occurring along the border between Iraq and Jordan and Kuwait.^[20] The southern Caucasus region, including Azerbaijan and Georgia, is also a major trans-shipment point.^[21]

In Europe, it is estimated that about 30 million people have used cannabis in the past year, with the highest rates of consumption being found in the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK.^[22] Cultivation occurs in several countries, including Albania and the Netherlands.^[23] Methamphetamine and Ecstasy are both manufactured and used in the region.^[24]

Finally, in the Oceania region, cultivation of cannabis continues to be a serious problem in countries such as Australia, Fiji, Micronesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.^[25] The region is also being seen as a major trans-shipment area “for consignments of [crystal meth],” in particular Australia and New Zealand.^[26]

---

[1] INCB, Press Release: Annual Report Regional Highlights 1, Mar. 1, 2006. (PDF)
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id. at 2.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] Id. at 3.
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id.
[15] Id. at 4.
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
[18] Id.
[19] Id.
[20] Id. at 5.
[21] Id.
[22] Id.
[23] Id.
[24] Id. at 5-6.
[25] Id. at 6.
[26] Id.