VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0985/01 3061351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021351Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9201
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 5103
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 1581
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2447
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 2801
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 6566
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS TALLINN 000985 
 
SIPDIS 
 
UNCLASSIFIED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL, EUR/NB 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS AND NDDS 
TREASURY FOR FINCIN 
DEA FOR OILS AND OFFICE OF DIVSERSION CONTROL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KSEP EN
SUBJECT:  2006-2007 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS 
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL 
CONTROL - ESTONIA 
 
REF: STATE 155088 
 
¶1.  (U) The following is Embassy Tallinn's submission for 
the 2006/2007 (EUR) International Narcotics Control 
Strategy Report (INCSR) Part I, Drugs and Chemical Control. 
 
---------- 
¶I. SUMMARY 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The closures of illegal synthetic drug labs, 
seizures of drug precursors, and detection of local and 
international drug chains indicate drug production and 
transit activity in Estonia, but also reflect the 
increasing efficiency of counter-narcotics efforts by 
Estonian law enforcement agencies.  The drug situation in 
Estonia does not differ dramatically from that in other 
European countries except for the high HIV-infection rates 
among intravenous drug users.  Estonia is a party to the 
main international drug control conventions, including the 
UN Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs 
and Psychotropic Substances (1988). 
 
-------------------------- 
II. STATUS OF THE COUNTRY 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Estonia's most popular illegal narcotics include 
trimethylphentanyl, or "White Persian," ecstasy, 
amphetamine, and cannabis.  The closure of illegal 
synthetic drug labs, along with seizures of production 
equipment and precursors, indicate that synthetic drugs are 
produced in Estonia.  While some drugs are consumed 
locally, production is also exported to neighboring 
countries, as evidenced by the frequent arrests of drug 
traffickers at the border.  Seizures of large quantities of 
narcotic substances by Estonian law enforcement agencies 
indicate that Estonia is involved in drug transit in the 
region. 
 
¶4.  (U) According to Government and NGO estimates, there 
are about 14,000 intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Estonia. 
Due to its large IDU population, Estonia has the highest 
per capita HIV-infection growth rate in Europe.  As of 
October 2006, a total of 5,567 cases of HIV had been 
registered nationwide, 504 of which were registered in 2005 
(a slight decline compared to recent years).  To date, AIDS 
has been diagnosed in a total of 112 people, 12 of whom 
were diagnosed in 2006.  Male IDUs account for the largest 
share of newly registered HIV cases; however, the number of 
HIV-positive young women and pregnant women has increased, 
indicating that the epidemic is spreading into the general 
population. 
 
----------------------------------- 
III. COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) POLICY INIATIVES.  In 2006, Estonia continued to 
upgrade its anti-narcotics legal framework.  On July 17, 
2006, the Amendment Law on the Narcotic Drugs and 
Psychotropic Substances Act (ALNDPSA), adopted by 
Parliament on June 15, 2005, came into force.  The ALNDPSA 
harmonizes Estonia's legislation with European Union (EU) 
narcotics regulations and brings domestic law into 
compliance with the United Nations (UN) Convention against 
Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic 
Substances.  The ALNDPSA specifies that, starting from 
January 1, 2006, the Estonian Drug Monitoring Center has 
the right to collect data on illegal drugs and drug users 
and to establish a national drug treatment registry. 
 
¶6.  (U) Also in 2006, Estonia continued to implement its 
national 2006-2015 anti-HIV/AIDS strategy.  The national 
anti-HIV/AIDS strategy was adopted on December 1, 2005. 
Its aims are to bring about a steady downward trend in the 
 
 
spread of HIV as well as to improve the quality of life of 
people living with the disease.  The strategy pays special 
attention to programs for various at-risk groups, including 
IDUs.  As part of its anti-HIV/AIDS strategy the Government 
of Estonia (GOE) formed a high-level committee to 
coordinate all HIV and drug abuse prevention activities. 
The committee is comprised of representatives from the 
Ministries of Social Affairs, Education and Research, 
Defense, Internal Affairs, Justice, and Finance, as well as 
the UN Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria (UN 
Global Fund), local governments, the World Health 
Organization, organizations for people living with 
HIV/AIDS, and members of the original working groups that 
drafted the GOE's anti-HIV/AIDS strategy.  The committee 
reports directly to the GOE on a biannual basis. 
 
¶7.  (U) LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.  Combating narcotics is a 
major priority for Estonian law enforcement agencies.  Good 
cooperation on counter-narcotics activities are maintained 
between police, customs officials, and the border guard. 
Currently 92 police officers are working solely on drug 
issues.  In 2006, the police registered 701 drug-related 
criminal cases and successfully carried out several 
counter-narcotics operations.  In March, the Central 
Criminal Police discovered an amphetamine lab in a rural 
community outside the capital.  Amphetamine, precursors, 
and lab equipment were seized.  The calculated street value 
of the confiscated items was USD $8,400.  In May, police 
seized 450 grams of fentanyl, or "White Chinese," estimated 
at 15,000 doses with at total value of USD $84,000.  As a 
result of several operations in June and August, Estonian 
police eliminated a drug chain, detained five people, and 
seized over 20 kilograms of the psychotropic substance 
gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB), lab equipment, and 15 kilos of 
the precursor gammabutyrolactone (GBL), sufficient to 
produce 45 kilograms of GHB. 
 
¶8.  (U) Combating the illicit narcotics trade is also a 
high priority for the Estonian Tax and Customs Board 
(ETCB).  The ETCB has 27 officers solely dedicated to the 
fight against drug trafficking, including 17 dog teams 
assigned to regional Customs Control Departments.  All 
customs, investigation, and information officers have 
received special training on narcotics control, and all 
customs border points are equipped with rapid drug tests. 
In 2006, ETCB installed new equipment with the capability 
to X-ray truck cargo at the border.  The ETCB has further 
entered into memoranda of understanding with major courier 
companies in an effort to involve them in drug trade 
prevention.  (For more on international law enforcement 
efforts, see Paragraph 12.) 
 
¶9.  (U) CORRUPTION.  Estonia is a relatively corruption- 
free country, receiving high scores on international 
corruption and economic indexes and out-performing all 
other new EU member states and some EU-15 countries.  The 
GOE does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or 
distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or the 
laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. 
There are no reports of any senior official of the GOE 
engaging in, encouraging, or facilitating the illicit 
production or distribution of narcotic substances. 
 
¶10.  (U) AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES.  Estonia is a party to 
the main international drug control conventions: the UN 
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the UN 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), the UN 
Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs 
and Psychotropic Substances (1988), and the Council of 
Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure, and 
Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime (1990).  A 1924 
extradition treaty, supplemented in 1934, remains in force 
between the United States and Estonia, and a mutual legal 
assistance treaty in criminal matters was entered into by 
the countries in 2000.  On October 18, 2006 the Estonian 
Parliament ratified a new Estonian-U.S. extradition 
 
 
agreement and a revised agreement on mutual legal 
assistance in criminal matters.  This new agreement, still 
pending official enactment, is in compliance with 
agreements previously signed between the EU and the United 
States as well as a 2002 decision of the EU Council 
concerning arrest warrants and transfer procedure.  Estonia 
is a party to the UN Convention against Transnational 
Organized Crime and its three protocols.  Estonia's 
domestic drug legislation is consistent with international 
laws regulating the combat against illicit drugs. 
 
¶11.  (U) CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION.  Estonia's cold climate 
precludes it from becoming a major drug cultivator; 
however, in northeastern Estonia small amounts of poppies 
are grown for local consumption.  During the past ten years 
police have closed 27 drug labs and seized products and 
precursors from different regions of Estonia, demonstrating 
Estonia's involvement in synthetic narcotics production. 
Most of the known labs are small and very mobile, making 
them difficult to detect and close.  In addition to 
production for domestic consumption, Estonia supplies drugs 
to neighboring countries, including the Nordic countries 
and northwestern Russia. 
 
¶12.  (U) DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT.  The geographical position of 
Estonia makes it attractive to drug smugglers.  Frequent 
arrests of drug traffickers and seizures of narcotic 
substances at the borders indicate Estonia's involvement in 
the international drug trade, but also demonstrate the high 
performance level of Estonian law enforcement agencies.  In 
summer 2006, in cooperation with foreign partners, Estonian 
police disrupted an international drug chain.  Police 
arrested three people within Estonian borders and seized 
17,000 tablets of ecstasy and more than 60,000 tablets of 
chlorophenylpiperazine in transit from the Netherlands to 
Russia.  The estimated street value of the seized 
substances was about USD $670,000.  From the period of 
January-October 2006, the ETCB seized a total of 210.2 
kilograms of hashish (11 cases), 11.8 kilograms of cannabis 
(three cases), 4.5 kilograms of heroin (single seizure), 
1.2 kilograms of amphetamines (three cases), and 
confiscated lab equipment for synthetic drug production. 
 
¶13.  (U) DOMESTIC PROGRAMS/DEMAND REDUCTION.  In 2006, 
Estonia continued to implement its 2004-2012 National 
Strategy on the Prevention of Drug Dependency. Combating 
the drug trade and reining in domestic consumption continue 
to be high priorities for all Estonian law enforcement 
agencies and for several government ministries.  Emphasis 
on the prevention of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS prevention 
continued in 2006 with the continued implementation of the 
2005 Government Coalition Agreement.  There are 
approximately 60 governmental, non-governmental, and 
private entities in Estonia working with IDUs to provide 
services to decrease demand and reduce harm.  There are 
currently seven voluntary HIV testing and counseling 
centers in Estonia funded by the GOE, local governments, 
and the UN Global Fund.  A needle exchange program is 
operational in 27 cites and includes a number of mobile 
needle exchange stations.  In Tallinn and northeastern 
Estonia (the center of the HIV epidemic) methadone 
treatment is provided at six centers.  Drug rehabilitation 
services are available in eight facilities nationwide, 
three of which are church-sponsored. 
 
¶14.  (U) CHEMICAL CONTROL. Estonia's principal legislation 
on chemical controls - the Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic 
Substances and Precursors Thereof (ANPSP) - is in full 
compliance with EU legislation on drug precursors (these EU 
regulations include:  Regulation EC No. 111/2005 of 
December 22, 2004, laying down the rules for the monitoring 
of trade between the Community and third countries in drug 
precursors; Regulation EC No. 273/2004 of the Council and 
the European Parliament of February 11, 2004, on drug 
precursors; Regulation EC No. 1277/2005 of July 27, 2005, 
laying down implementing rules for Regulations EC Nos. 
 
 
273/2004 and 111/2005).  Further, the ANPSP implements the 
Vienna Convention of 1988.  The ANPSP categorizes chemical 
substances into three categories.  None of the substances 
in any of the three categories is produced in Estonia. 
[Note.  ANPSP was amended, but not usurped, by the ALNDPSA. 
End Note.] 
 
¶15.  (U) The first specified controlled substance category 
under the ANPSP includes ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. 
Under the law, a license is needed to possess, market, 
import, export, or broker these substances.  Currently, 
only one license has been issued in Estonia to a wholesaler 
that imports ephedrine from an EU country and sells it to 
drug stores with licenses to produce medicine under a 
doctor's prescription.  The annual use of ephedrine in 
Estonia is about six kilograms.  In addition, some imported 
medicinal products that contain pseudoephedrine are 
authorized for use in Estonia.  A pre-export notification 
procedure is in place even though Estonia does not produce 
medicines that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.  The 
State Agency of Medicine (SAM) has not issued any licenses 
to export ephedrine or pseudoephedrine from Estonia to 
third countries. 
 
¶16.  (U) Potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride are 
included in the ANPSP's second category of controlled 
substances.  In order to market, import, or export 
potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride, the producing 
and marketing venue must be registered with the SAM. 
Currently, the SAM registry includes 12 companies that 
process potassium permanganate and six companies that 
process acetic anhydride.  These companies are primarily 
involved in importing the substances from the EU or 
marketing them within the EU.  In order to export potassium 
permanganate and acetic anhydride, an export license and a 
pre-export notification are required.  Neither potassium 
permanganate nor acetic anhydride are produced in Estonia, 
and the SAM has not issued any licenses to export these 
substances to third countries.  The third category of drugs 
under the ANPSP is not relevant to this report. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶17.  (U) In 2006, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) 
initiated a major project with the Estonian Defense Forces 
(EDF) entitled "DOD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program" to raise 
awareness of military personnel and to assist in the 
creation of a sustainable EDF HIV/AIDS prevention system. 
In addition, the GOE continues to implement projects 
financed by the State Department on the prevention of HIV 
transmission from mother to child in the Russian border 
area.  The implementation of HIV-related stigma reduction 
programs continued in 2006, including a State Department- 
sponsored visit by a stigma expert from the United States. 
The State Department further financed the printing of 
brochures for people living with HIV. 
 
¶18.  (U) In 2006, the Export Control and Border Security 
program provided training for customs agents, border 
guards, security police, and criminal central police. 
While principally designed for anti-proliferation and WMD 
detection, many of the techniques in the training are 
directly applicable to narcotics searches and seizures. 
The following training was provided: International Railroad 
Interdiction Training in El Paso, TX (April 3-7); 
International Seaport Interdiction Training in Charleston, 
SC (September 18-22); International Railroad Interdiction 
Training in Narva, Estonia (September 25-29); and the 
upcoming International Airport Interdiction Training in New 
York City, NY (scheduled for December). 
 
WOS