VZCZCXRO0116
RR RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #1192/01 2910525
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170525Z OCT 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0419
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 4398
RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ASTANA 0614
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 5015
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0873
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0609
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0894
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4609
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2900
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0912
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7627
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1559
RUEABNE/DEA HQS WASHDC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0085
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2847
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC 0459
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0310

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001192 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL ANDREW BUHLER AND ELIZABETH CARROLL 
ASTANA FOR NAS ANTHONY BEAVER 
DUSHANBE FOR NAS SCOTT WALDO 
ASHGABAT FOR P/E KRISTINE MARSH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM TX IR TI UZ ASEC
SUBJECT: UNODC REPORTS GREATER COOPERATION FROM CENTRAL 
ASIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON COUNTER-NARCOTICS 
 
TASHKENT 00001192  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED -- PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: On September 19 poloff attended a donor 
coordination roundtable hosted by the United Nations Office 
on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office in Central Asia. 
UNODC Senior Law Enforcement Advisor, Mark Colhoun, reported 
increased cooperation with law enforcement agencies in the 
five former Soviet republics and was optimistic about higher 
quality data being reported more promptly.  Colhoun shared 
fresh statistics on heroin and opium seizures for the region 
and noted the quiet increase of cannabis cultivation.  He 
also described how the skyrocketing black market price of 
acetic anhydride may encourage illicit homemade production of 
the precursor chemical.  End summary. 
 
Fresh Data 
---------- 
 
¶2. (U) UNODC hosted a donor coordination meeting on September 
19 at its Central Asian headquarters in Tashkent.  Poloff 
attended along with diplomats from France, Germany, Italy, 
Ukraine, and China.  Colhoun shared recently compiled data on 
heroin seizures during the first half of 2008, in rank order 
as follows:  Kazakhstan - 1,111 kilograms (kg); Tajikistan - 
1,030 kg; Uzbekistan - 771 kg; Kyrgyzstan - 133 kg; and 
Turkmenistan - 112 kg.  He mentioned that heroin seizures 
seem to be getting larger, citing as an example a recent 300 
kg seizure in Uzbekistan outside of Tashkent.  He reported 
that a Tajik chemist was recently arrested after illegally 
manufacturing five liters of acetic anhydride, a precursor 
chemical.  UNODC believes that, due to stringent controls, 
the black market price for acetic anhydride has risen to USD 
600 per liter, a tempting profit margin for Central Asians 
seeking to supplement meager incomes. 
 
¶3. (U) Colhoun also provided data on opium seizures during 
the the first six months of 2008, as follows:  Tajikistan - 
1,359 kg; Turkmenistan - 496 kg; Uzbekistan - 433 kg; 
Kyrgyzstan - 38 kg; and Kazakhstan - 13 kg.  Colhoun noted 
that the figures were almost negligible in the two countries 
-- Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan -- which do not share a common 
border with Afghanistan.  He added that the large figure in 
Tajikistan could suggest that abuse of opium is on the rise 
and/or that labs may be relocating there from Afghanistan. 
 
¶4. (U) Uzbekistan was the only Central Asian country to 
report an increase in drug-related crimes for the first half 
of 2008 relative to the same period in 2007, with the number 
rising from 5,405 to 5,737 (an increase of six percent 
according to UNODC figures).  UNODC staff attributed the 
increase in part to higher quality data collection and 
reporting by Uzbek authorities rather than a deteriorating 
public safety situation.  Colhoun also noted that cannabis 
cultivation is on the rise in Central Asia, which is often 
overlooked due to the focus on heroin and opium trafficking 
through the region. 
 
Cooperation on the Rise 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Colhoun observed that, overall, "a noticeable increase 
of cooperation" is occurring between UNODC and law 
enforcement agencies throughout Central Asia on 
counter-narcotics issues.  He expressed optimism that this 
trend will continue, but he cautioned that it is difficult to 
discern whether increasing seizure statistics reflect an 
increase in trafficking volume or a marked improvement in 
 
TASHKENT 00001192  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
enforcement efforts (as well as a more complete data set as 
agencies are more forthcoming with information). 
 
On Turkmenistan 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Colhoun cited Turkmenistan in particular as a 
country that is increasing its cooperation on 
counter-narcotics.  For instance, he noted this year marked 
the first time Turkmen authorities provided seizure 
statistics for the first half of the year, which is valuable 
for UNODC's analysis of regional trends.  In general, he said 
the Turkmen seizures are not large (although there was 
recently a 243 kg opium seizure near the Iranian border), but 
authorities are now reporting them very quickly.  Colhoun 
added that Turkmen officials claim two-thirds of heroin 
seized originates in Iran, which raises the possibilities 
that labs are operating inside Iran.  While there is no hard 
evidence of this, Colhoun noted "the possibility has to be 
looked at." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Some diplomats present did not share Colhoun's 
optimism about Turkmenistan, however.  The Tashkent-based 
German Law Enforcement Attache, Gerhard Neurehr (please 
protect), who also covers Turkmenistan, recently met with the 
head of the new Turkmen state drug control agency.  Neurehr 
called the entity "disastrous," adding that "they have no 
idea about law enforcement."  He also lamented that 
"everything is still a state secret" and stated "there are no 
genuine investigations."  He said the Turkmen authorities 
relied on Turkish intelligence as a basis for marquee 
seizures rather than information gleaned on their own.  The 
Tashkent-based Italian Law Enforcement Attache, Raffaelle 
Ungaro (please protect), who also covers Turkmenistan, added 
that during a recent training session for 50 young Turkmen 
officers (in the framework of the NATO-Russia Council) he 
found "the level was very low" and "most knew nothing about 
narcotics or what an investigation means." 
 
Mobile Precursor Teams 
---------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Colhoun informed the group that UNODC has recently 
approached all five Central Asian governments to discuss a 
proposed project to establish mobile precursor teams.  He 
said the idea was well-received in all five capitals, and he 
was surprised that there was even openness to multi-agency 
teams amongst often territorial law enforcement entities. 
UNODC plans to provide equipment and training before the 
teams are deployed. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
¶9. (U) It is good news that UNODC is observing increasing 
cooperation from the five former Soviet Central Asian 
republics on counter-narcotics, but much work remains to be 
done.  UNODC's regional mandate makes it a valuable 
coordination entity in a region where bilateral relations are 
often strained, bureaucratic, or underdeveloped.  The new 
information demonstrates that the narcotics threat in Central 
Asia is constantly evolving, and laboratories producing drugs 
or precursor chemicals can shift locations in response to 
market forces and enforcement efforts. 
 
NORLAND