VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0720/01 3091457
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051457Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0305
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 5234
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 1605
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2555
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 2941
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 6684
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS TALLINN 000720 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL AND EUR/NB 
COPENHAGEN FOR DEA ANTON KOHUT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR EN
SUBJECT:  2007-2008 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS 
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL 
CONTROL - ESTONIA 
 
REF: STATE 136780 
 
¶1. (U) The following is Embassy Tallinn's submission for 
the 2007 - 2008 (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 narcotic substances, detection of drug chains 
and arrest of record number of Estonian drug traffickers 
around the world indicate drug production and transit 
activity are ongoing in Estonia.  They also reflect the 
increase of counter-narcotics efforts by Estonian law 
enforcement agencies.  Except for the higher HIV-infection 
rate among intravenous drug users, the drug situation in 
Estonia does not differ from that in other European 
countries.  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 ("White Persian,") heroin, ecstasy, 
amphetamines, gammahydroxylbutyrate (GHB), cannabis and 
poppy.  The last of these is primarily used outside of 
Tallinn.  The closure in the first ten months of 2007 of 
three 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.  Also in 2007, a record 
number of Estonian drug traffickers have been arrested in 
foreign countries showing the involvement of Estonian drug 
traffickers in the international illegal drug trade.  (See 
para 10.)  Seizures of large quantities of narcotic 
substances by Estonian law enforcement agencies indicate 
that Estonia is located on a drug transit route in the 
region. 
 
¶4. (U) According to Government of Estonia (GOE) and NGO 
estimates, there are about 14,000 intravenous drug users 
(IDUs) in Estonia.  Due to its large IDU population, 
Estonia has the highest growth rate per capita of HIV 
infections in Europe.  As of October 2007, a total of 6,250 
cases of HIV has been registered nationwide, 519 of which 
were registered in 2007.  To date, AIDS has been diagnosed 
in a total of 176 people, 41 of whom were diagnosed in 
¶2007.  Male IDUs still account for the largest share of 
newly registered HIV cases; however, in 2007, young women 
made up 42 per cent of new HIV cases, indicating that the 
epidemic is spreading to the general population. 
 
 
----------------------------------- 
III. COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) POLICY INIATIVES.  In 2007, Estonia continued to 
upgrade its anti-narcotics legal framework.  In March, the 
Government of Estonia (GOE) approved its 2007-09 Action 
Plan based on the National Strategy on Prevention of Drug 
Dependency for 2004-2012, adopted in 2003.  The Action Plan 
sets targets and gives guidelines for implementing 
organizations to meet the six objectives of the strategy: 
prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, harm reduction, 
demand reduction, addressing the problem of drugs in 
prisons, and overall monitoring and evaluation of the 
Action Plan.  In 2006, the Law amending the Narcotic Drugs 
and Psychotropic Substances Act (LANDPSA) came into force, 
harmonizing Estonia's legislation with European Union (EU) 
narcotics regulations.  The LANDPSA also brought domestic 
law into compliance with the United Nations (UN) Convention 
against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic 
 
 
Substances. 
 
¶6. (U) Also in 2007, Estonia continued to implement its 
national 2006-2015 anti-HIV/AIDS strategy, which pledges to 
bring about a steady reduction in the spread of HIV and 
improve the quality of life of people with the disease. 
Following parliamentary elections in March 2007, the new 
government coalition reiterated this pledge in its 
coalition agreement.  The GOE plans to focus its prevention 
efforts on young people and their parents, with the 
ultimate goal of reducing the number of new cases of HIV to 
the European regional average of 50-70 cases per one 
million people per year, or one-tenth the current rate. 
The strategy pays special attention to programs for various 
at-risk groups, including IDUs, which currently form the 
largest sub-group within the HIV positive population. 
 
¶7. (U) Although the United Nations Global Fund to Fight 
HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GF) finished its four-year 
program in Estonia in September, the GOE has committed to 
take over all HIV-related activities carried out under 
Global Fund's $10.4 million grant.  While the Ministry of 
Social Affairs has overall coordinating responsibility, 
each cabinet Minister is responsible for HIV prevention, 
harm reduction and treatment in his or her administrative 
area (i.e., Ministry of Justice -- HIV in prisons; Ministry 
of Defense -- HIV in defense forces; Ministry of Education 
and Research -- HIV prevention in schools and colleges). 
All ministries report to the governmental committee that 
coordinates HIV and drug abuse prevention activities, 
established in 2006.  The committee is comprised of 
representatives from the Ministries of Social Affairs, 
Education and Research, Defense, Internal Affairs, Justice, 
and Finance, as well as 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 2005-2015 anti-HIV/AIDS strategy.  The 
committee reports directly to the Cabinet on a bi-annual 
basis. 
 
¶8. (U) LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.  Combating narcotics is a 
major priority for Estonian law enforcement agencies. 
Police, customs officials and the border guard maintain 
good cooperation on counter-narcotics activities. 
Currently, 88 police officers work solely on drug issues. 
Their primary mission is to destroy international drug 
rings (rather than catch individual suppliers).  From 
January through September 2007, the Estonian police 
registered 860 drug-related criminal cases and successfully 
carried out several counter-narcotics operations. 
 
¶9. (U) In April, officers of the drug squad of the North 
Police Prefecture seized more than a kilogram of cocaine 
and a large amount of ecstasy tablets estimated to have a 
street value of $140,000.  This was the largest amount of 
cocaine ever seized by that jurisdiction.  According to the 
police, the packaging of the drugs clearly indicated the 
suspect was involved in drug smuggling.  In August, two 
suspects were arrested with 15 doses of 
gammahydroxylbutyrate (GHB).  A search of their dwelling 
uncovered 23 grams of cocaine and three liters of GHB, 
which corresponds to more than 600 doses.  In September, as 
a result of an extensive operation, the Estonian Central 
Criminal Police discovered a cache of various narcotics, 
including the largest amounts of hashish ever confiscated 
in Estonia.  In addition to the 70 kg of hashish, the 
seizure netted 1500 grams of cocaine, 300 grams of "White 
Chinaman" and several bags of marijuana with a total 
estimated street value of $1 million.  In October, as a 
result of long-term surveillance, the Estonian central 
Criminal Police raided a drug lab and seized 10 liters of 
liquid amphetamine, lab equipment and chemicals used in 
amphetamine production.  They detained four persons 
suspected of manufacturing large quantities of 
amphetamines.  The search of one suspect's apartment 
yielded 15 kilos of liquid amphetamine.  The total seizure 
amounted to an estimated 30,000 doses with a total value of 
$140,000. 
 
¶10. (U) In October, the Central Criminal Police detained a 
criminal group recruiting young people from Estonia to 
 
 
traffic narcotics from South America.  Previously only 
about seven drug traffickers of Estonian origin were 
arrested abroad every year.  In 2007, 30 people from 
Estonia have been arrested for drug trafficking -- seven 
detained in Europe and 23 in South American (including 12 
in Venezuela.) 
 
¶11. (U) Combating the illicit narcotics trade is also a top 
priority for the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (ETCB). 
All customs, investigation, and information officers have 
received special training in narcotics control, and all 
customs border points are equipped with rapid drug tests. 
There are about 100 customs officers working on the 
Estonia-Russian border (part of the European Union's 
eastern-most border).  About 150 Customs officers work in 
mobile units all over Estonia.  There are 14 Customs teams 
with 18 drug sniffing dogs.  In the first six months of 
2007, the dogs found approximately ten kilos of narcotic 
substances.  All four Customs regions have a designated 
narcotics control liaison officer, and are supported by a 
narcotics analyst in the Tallinn headquarters.  In May, 
Estonian Customs Officials - in cooperation with U.S. and 
Latvian law enforcement agencies - detained an 
international criminal group of eight people and seized 
roughly 8 kg of high-quality cocaine with a street value of 
$2.1 million.  The smugglers brought the drugs to the 
Estonian coast in a small boat from a freighter sailing in 
Estonian territorial waters and planned to forward them to 
other Baltic countries.  In July, during X-ray screening, 
Estonian Customs Officials found 4.2 kilos of heroin hidden 
in the car of a Latvian citizen.  This seizure prevented up 
to 70,000 doses of heroin from reaching the streets. 
 
¶12. (U) CORRUPTION.  Estonia is a relatively corruption- 
free country, receiving high scores on international 
corruption and economic indexes - out-performing all other 
new EU member states and some of the old 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. 
 
¶13. (U) AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES.  Estonia is 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. 
In 2006, the Estonian Parliament ratified a new Estonian- 
U.S. extradition agreement and a revised agreement on 
mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.  The new 
agreement 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. 
 
¶14. (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 domestic consumption.  Nevertheless, the 
closures of drug labs and seized products and precursors in 
different regions of Estonia demonstrate synthetic 
narcotics production is ongoing in Estonia.  Most of the 
labs were small and very mobile, making it difficult to 
detect and close them.  In addition to production for 
domestic consumption, synthetic drugs produced in Estonia 
are exported to neighboring countries, including the Nordic 
countries and northwestern Russia. 
 
¶15. (U) DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT.  Estonia's geographical position 
 
 
makes it attractive to drug smugglers.  Frequent arrests of 
drug traffickers and seizures of narcotic substances at the 
border indicate Estonia's involvement in the international 
drug trade, but also demonstrate the high performance level 
of Estonian law enforcement agencies. (See paras 8 and 9). 
 
Frequent arrests of Estonian drug traffickers around the 
world shows their involvement in the international drug 
trade. 
 
¶16.  (U) DOMESTIC PROGRAMS/DEMAND REDUCTION.  In 2007, 
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 key government ministries.  There are more 
than 60 governmental, non-governmental, and private 
entities in Estonia working with IDUs to provide services 
to decrease demand and reduce harm.  There are currently 
five voluntary HIV testing and counseling centers in 
Estonia funded by the GOE and local governments.  A needle 
exchange program is operational in 23 cities and a number 
of mobile needle exchange stations are in operation in 
Tallinn and northeast Estonia.  Methadone treatment is 
provided at six centers in Tallinn and northeast Estonia. 
Drug rehabilitation services are provided at 14 facilities 
nationwide, three of which are church-sponsored. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶17.  (U) In 2007, the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) 
implemented the first phase of a U.S. Department of Defense 
(DOD) project entitled "DOD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program" to 
raise the awareness of military personnel and to assist in 
the creation of a sustainable EDF HIV/AIDS prevention 
system.  Also, post utilized the Department's International 
Visitors Program on HIV in 2007 to familiarize Estonian 
experts with U.S. practices in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 
 
¶18.  (U) In 2007, the Export Control and Border Security 
program provided a Targeted Risk Management Training in 
Tallinn for Estonian Customs Agents (September 24-28) and 
provided over $100,000 worth of inspection equipment to the 
Border Guards, Customs Agents, and Rescue Board.  In 2008, 
EXBS will hold a regional conference in the Balkans in 
which Estonian Customs Agents have been asked to 
participate as trainers. 
 
---------------------- 
¶V. Statistical Tables 
---------------------- 
 
¶19.  N/A 
 
---------------------------- 
VI. CHEMICAL CONTROL ISSUES 
---------------------------- 
 
¶20. (U)  Estonia's principal legislation on chemical 
controls - the Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances 
and Precursors (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 are produced in Estonia. 
 
¶21.  (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 (in 2005) 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 drugstore preparations) in Estonia is about six 
kilograms.  In addition, some imported medicinal products 
that contain pseudoephedrine are authorized for use in 
Estonia.  The GOE has a pre-export notification procedure 
even though Estonia does not manufacture 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. 
 
¶22.  (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 14 companies that 
process potassium permanganate and seven companies that 
process acetic anhydride.  These companies are primarily 
involved in importing these 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 is 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. 
 
PHILLIPS