VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0996/01 3100928
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060928Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8303
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEABND/DEA WASHDC

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000996 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, INL 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS, AND NDDS 
DEA FOR OILS AND OFFICE OF DIVERSION CONTROL 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL KJUS KCRM HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA INCSR 2006/2007 - PART ONE 
 
REF: STATE 136780 
 
¶1. (U) Below please find, per reftel request, part one of post's 
submission for the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy 
Report.  Part two on money laundering will be submitted septel. 
Croatia 
¶I. Summary 
Croatia is not a producer of narcotics.  However, narcotics 
smuggling through the Balkans route to Western Europe remains a 
serious concern to Croatian authorities.  Croatian law enforcement 
bodies cooperate actively with their U.S. and regional counterparts 
to combat narcotics smuggling.  Croatia is a party to the 1988 UN 
Drug Convention.  During the 2006, the Government Office for 
Suppression of Narcotics established bilateral cooperation with 
several countries (e.g. UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, 
Hungary and the Russian Federation).  The Government Office also 
continued cooperation with the countries in the region.  According 
to current statistics, the amount of available narcotics on the 
Croatian market increased and the scope broadened during the year, 
resulting in a greater number of addicts.  The number of treated 
persons in 2006 was 7,427 (out of which 2,000 were treated for the 
first time), an increase from prior years (e.g. 2005 - 6,668 
persons; 2004 - 5,768 persons).  Of the total number of persons 
treated in 2006, 82% were men.  As in previous years, addicts were 
mainly addicted to heroin and opiates. 
II. Status of Country 
Croatia shares borders with Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, 
and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has a 1,000 km long coastline (4,000 
km adding in its 1,001 islands), which presents an attractive target 
to contraband smugglers seeking to move narcotics into the large 
European market.  Narcotics smuggling continued to increase along 
the "Balkan Route" destined for European markets, with the majority 
transiting through Croatia's land borders. 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2006 
Policy Initiatives. In December 2005, Croatia adopted a National 
Strategy for Narcotics Abuse Prevention for 2006-2012, developed 
with assistance from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and 
Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The Strategy aims to bring demand and 
supply reduction efforts in line with EU policies and creates a 
National Information Unit for Drugs to standardize monitoring and 
the assessment of drug abuse data in order to facilitate data 
sharing with the EU's EMCDDA programs.  In February 2006, the 
Government of Croatia (GOC) adopted the Action Plan on Drug Abuse 
Control for 2006-2009.  The goal of the Action Plan is to achieve 
equal availability of programs throughout the country targeting 
primarily children, youth and families.  In June 2006, Parliament 
adopted changes to the Criminal Code, which increased sentences for 
possession and dealing of illicit drugs. Croatia also instituted 
changes to the criminal code, increasing penalties for several other 
narcotics-related offenses.  The minimum penalty for narcotics 
production and dealing was increased from one to three years.  The 
minimum penalty for selling narcotics by organized groups was 
increased from three to five years.  The minimum penalty for 
incitement or facilitating the use of illegal narcotics was 
increased to one year.  In addition, punishment for possession of 
related equipment or precursor chemicals was increased from three 
months to a mandatory sentence of no less than one year.  Other 
changes to the criminal code permit the police to use such tactics 
as controlled deliveries, a method that was used this year with 
international cooperation.  Another amendment to the criminal code 
eases measures to confiscate assets of organized crime groups by 
placing the burden of providing evidence about the origins of assets 
on the defendant rather than the prosecutor, and allowing 
confiscation of assets acquired during the period of incriminating 
activity.  Croatia continues to cooperate well with other European 
states to improve the control and management of its porous borders. 
Authorities describe cooperation on narcotics enforcement issues 
with neighboring states as excellent. 
Law Enforcement Efforts. The Interior Ministry, Justice Ministry and 
Customs Directorate have primary responsibility for law enforcement 
issues, while the Ministry of Health has primary responsibility for 
the strategy to reduce and treat drug abuse.  The Interior 
Ministry's Anti-Narcotics Division is responsible for coordinating 
the work of counter-narcotics units in police departments throughout 
the country.  The Interior Ministry maintains cooperative 
relationships with Interpol and neighboring states, and cooperates 
through the South-Eastern Cooperation Initiative (SECI).  Croatian 
police and Customs authorities continued to coordinate 
counter-narcotics efforts on targeted border-crossing points Police 
reported the following seizures: Heroin (82 kg in 2006 vs. 52 kg in 
the first 9 months in 2007) and hashish (12 kg in 2006 vs. 4 kg in 
the first nine months of 2007, marijuana 202.5 kg vs. 179 kg in the 
first nine months in 2007, cocaine 5.6 kg vs. 16 kg in the first 
nine months in 2007, amphetamine 11.6 kg vs. 7 kg in the first nine 
months of 2007, ecstasy 16,340 tablets vs. 12,177 tablets in the 
first nine months of 2007).  In 2005, police submitted charges 
against 5,700 persons for narcotics-associated crimes; in 2006 
police initiated criminal charges against 6,017 individuals and in 
the first nine months of 2007 police initiated criminal charges 
against 5,041 persons.   Crimes associated with the sale or abuse of 
narcotics make up 10% of total crimes recorded.  During 2006, 8,346 
registered criminal acts were associated with narcotics smuggling 
and abuse. 
Corruption. As a matter of government policy, Croatia does not 
encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of 
narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or 
the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. 
Similarly, to post's knowledge, no senior government official is 
alleged to have participated in, encouraged, or facilitated such 
activities.  Croatia is a party to the UN Corruption Convention. 
Agreements and Treaties. Croatia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 
Protocol, and the 1972 UN Convention Against Psychotropic 
Substances. Croatia is also a party to the UN Convention against 
Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against trafficking 
in persons, migrant smuggling, and illegal manufacturing and 
trafficking in firearms. Extradition between Croatia and the United 
States is governed by the 1902 Extradition Treaty between the U.S. 
and the Kingdom of Serbia, which applies to Croatia as a successor 
state. Croatia has signed bilateral agreements with 34 countries 
permitting cooperation on combating terrorism, organized crime, 
smuggling and narcotics abuse. 
Cultivation/Production. Small-scale cannabis production for domestic 
use is the only narcotics production within Croatia.  Poppy seeds 
are cultivated on a small scale for culinary use.  Because of 
Croatia's small drug market and its relatively porous border, 
Croatian police report that nearly all illegal drugs are imported 
into Croatia.  However, authorities believe that given the existence 
of ecstasy labs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is inevitable that 
small-scale labs will be discovered in Croatia. 
Drug Flow/Transit. Croatia lies along part of the "Balkan heroin 
smuggling Route." Authorities believe that much of the heroin from 
Asian sources transverses this route to reach European markets. 
Although Croatia is not considered a primary gateway, police seizure 
data indicate smugglers continue to attempt to use Croatia as a 
transit point for non-opiate drugs, including cocaine and 
cannabis-based drugs.  Cannabis-based drugs have increasingly been 
identified at road border crossings.  Ecstasy and other synthetics 
are smuggled into Croatia from the Netherlands and Belgium. 
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction. The Office for Combating Drug 
Abuse in cooperation with relevant ministries, develops the National 
Strategy for Narcotics Abuse Prevention (most recently in its 
Strategy for 2006-2012), and is the focal point for agency 
coordination activities to reduce demand for narcotics.  Croatia has 
eight therapy communities with 32 therapy houses which operate as 
non-governmental organizations or religious communities, or were 
established and registered as social care facilities for addicts. 
The facilities offer treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation to 
drug addicts.  Therapy communities implement programs of 
psychosocial rehabilitation, work therapy, family counseling, 
prevention awareness programs, and cooperate with the Centers for 
Prevention of Addictions, Centers for Social Welfare, hospitals, 
clinics, various state bodies, and domestic and foreign humanitarian 
organizations. 
Demand reduction programs are coordinated by the Government's Office 
for Combating Drug Abuse.  The Ministry of Education requires drug 
education in primary and secondary schools within its "healthy 
lifestyles" courses.  Other ministries and government organizations 
also run outreach programs to reach specific constituencies such as 
pregnant women.  The state-run medical system offers treatment for 
addicts, but slots are insufficient to accommodate all needing 
treatment.  The Ministry of Health oversees in-patient 
detoxification programs as well as 21 regional outpatient prevention 
centers which provide testing, counseling, and referrals. 
According to GOC statistics, the highest number of treated addicts 
was registered in Istria, followed by the counties of Zadar, Zagreb, 
Sibenik, and Dubrovnik.  The highest numbers of treated opiates 
addicts were registered in the county of Zadar, followed by Istria 
and Sibenik.  High rates did not necessarily reflect high drug abuse 
rates, but rather an efficient system of their inclusion in 
treatment.  The number of treated persons in 2006 was 7,427 (out of 
which 2,000 were treated for the first time), an increase in from 
prior years (e.g. 2005 - 6,668 persons and in 2004 - 5,768 persons). 
 Of the total number of persons treated in 2006, 82% were men.  As 
in previous years, addicts were mainly addicted to heroin and 
opiates. 
In 2006 the GOC developed therapy guidelines for methadone therapy 
and in 2007 for buprenophine.  Pharmacotherapy with buprenophine 
increased: 18% of practitioners used the treatment in 2006, compared 
with 3% in 2005.  The increase in therapy is attributable to the 
coverage by the national health insurance system for such 
treatments.  Therapy using methadone in 2006 increased by 34% from 
the prior year, up from 886 persons in 2005 to 1,186 in 2006.  The 
number of deaths in 2006 regarding narcotic drugs decreased from the 
prior year by 15%.  Out of 90 deaths, 81 persons were men and nine 
were women.  Those deaths largely occurred in the city of Zagreb 
(38%), Split county (19%) and Istria county (10%).  In 2006, the GOC 
spent 64 million kuna ($12.5 million) for the implementation of the 
National Strategy for Suppression of Narcotics and its Action Plan, 
which is an increase of 28% from the previous year. 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
Bilateral Cooperation. The primary objectives of U.S. initiatives in 
Croatia have been focused on improving the ability of Croatian law 
enforcement agencies to work bilaterally and regionally to combat 
organized crime and narcotics trafficking.  Having achieved these 
two basic objectives, U.S. assistance for police reform efforts 
under the ICITAP (DoJ) program was refocused on combating organized 
crime and corruption.  In October 2006, Croatian police formed the 
first joint police-prosecutor task force to target a criminal 
organization involved in drug trafficking and other illegal 
activities.  The task force yielded several arrests.  In addition, 
Croatian police have been regular participants in training programs 
at the U.S.-funded International Law Enforcement Academy.  Under the 
Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) program, police and 
customs officers have been trained this year on border security, 
tracker training, port security and vulnerability, seaport 
interdiction, and commodity identification, all of which will assist 
in preventing drug trafficking through Croatia.  Equipment donations 
and related training for border police officers will further enhance 
Croatia's ability to detect and interdict shipments. 
Road Ahead. For 2007-2008, U.S. expert training teams will join 
in-country U.S. trainers to help Croatian police develop skills in 
surveillance, management development, witness support, fugitive 
tracking, and informant management.  A resident advisor will 
continue to assist the Ministry of Interior in improving police and 
prosecutor cooperation in complex narcotics, corruption, and 
organized crime cases.  Additional training and detection equipment 
donations planned for 2008 under the EXBS program will have spin-off 
benefits for Croatia's fight against narcotics trafficking, 
particularly in the areas of interagency cooperation and border 
management. 
Chemical Control Issues. The Ministry of Health controls the sale of 
drug precursor chemicals such as acetic anhydride and kali 
permanganate (potassium permanganate is not listed).  Concurrently, 
the Ministry of Economy controls exports and imports of those 
products. 
BRADTKE