Last week, Russian Federal border guards quartered in Tajikistan seized a record consignment of raw opium – 2.185 kilograms at one haul. Since the beginning of this year, they have seized more than 3,5 tons of drugs, out of which more than one ton is heroine produced in neighboring Afghanistan. Colonel Alexandr Kostiuchenko, Commander of the Moskovsky frontier outpost says that out of fifteen armed drug smugglers, five were killed in a skirmish, when the cargo had been ferried through the river Pyanj to the Tajik territory. Others managed to escape. ‘Probably some laboratories producing heroine have emerged here’, the Colonel added, ‘That’s why the Afghan smugglers ventured to pass over raw opium, which might seem unprofitable at first sight’.

The Tajik State Committee on Drug Control under the President reports that in the first six months of this year, Law Enforcement structures have revealed more than one thousand criminal cases related to illegal drug trafficking. In the areas of Tajikistan bordering on Afghanistan, one kilogram of raw opium costs less than $ 50. The price doubles in the capital, Dushanbe, and redoubles in Russia.

Tajikistan has long ago achieved notoriety as a transition point for drug smuggling. Yet two years ago, its neighbor, Afghanistan, surpassed all countries of Golden Triangle and Latin America together as far as drug production is concerned. According to the UN Drug Control Agencies, 53 percent of world production of heroin is produced in Afghanistan. Mr. Matthew Kahane, UN Humanitarian Coordinator to Tajikistan, stated in an IRIN interview that ‘It has been established that between 30 and 50 percent of the entire economic activity of Tajikistan is linked to drugs with Afghanistan. The World Bank estimates 30 percent, the Russian Embassy 50 percent. The drug problem can only be controlled when the Taliban movement in Afghanistan stops producing narcotics’.

An increasing number of residents of areas bordering on Afghanistan are being involved in smuggling. Also, a growing number of cases of human trafficking are being reported. Afghans abduct local residents’ relatives and their cattle for ransom until the Tajiks pay what they are owed for earlier deliveries of narcotics. Due to a record drought, agriculture is in dire straits in the southern parts of the country. The UN World Food Program estimates that more than one million Tajik citizens were affected by a severe drought last year, and the current year is not less arid.

The Gorno-Badakshan area in the Pamir mountains is also facing this problem. isolated as it is, especially in winter time, from the rest of the country, Many segments of the border are as good as transparent. In winter time, when the Pyanj river is only knee-high, it is not difficult to throw some bails over it. ‘It has become difficult to maintain hold of the situation’, an official from the Badakhshan Health Authorities says, ‘Consumption of "heavy stuff" like opium has never been traditional in the Pamirs. We never saw the "white powder" before. Now, it is easier to find heroin than marijuana. It has become problematic to pass drugs over to Russia, and the vendors are expanding the local market, offering narcotics to teenagers almost for free. Should they get hooked, they turn into slaves".’

Visitors to the region are warned not to buy vodka at the market of Khorog, the administrative town of Gorno-Badahshan. ‘Unless you are personally acquainted with the vendor, he can foist fake stuff on you, made of badly refined alcohol, or worse, you would buy a liquid stuffed with the potion,’ this author was told. This is being done with the same purpose. Regular buyers are provided with drugs until they are addicted and become clients for other vendors.

The Bohtar district of the Khatlon province in the Southern part of the country suffered the most from military actions during the civil war (1992-97). Although most of land plots there have been distributed to peasants according to a Presidential decree, the cotton harvest is being controlled by very few ‘weighty’ persons, and farmers receive only a tiny share of revenues from what is being sold. A local Khukumat (district authorities) official, who wishes not to be named, points to newly constructed fancy villas. Many expensive vehicles were also seen in this settlement, where many children have no shoes to go to school in winter.

‘One point to take into account is that if the Taliban’s efforts to stem the flow of drugs are successful, we will see a downward spiral in the Tajik economy,’ – Matthew Kahane said in the same interview for IRIN.

UN bodies accredited in Tajikistan are working on programs with the Russian Border Forces and the Tajik National Drug Control Agency to fight drug trafficking. However, the Russian border guards keep facing logistical problems. Only their supreme personnel consists of skilled officers. Others – NCOs and the rank and file are young recruits mobilized to the Tajik army on a compulsory basis. Most of these come from poor families, are sick, and cannot afford ‘crossing somebody’s hand’

By Alexei Igushev