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DE RUEHRA #0535/01 3030849
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UNCLAS RIGA 000535 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR LG
 
SUBJECT: LATVIA 2010 INCSR PART 1 DRAFT 
 
¶1. (U) Below is Embassy Riga's draft of the 2010 International 
Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Part 1. 
 
Begin INCSR Report: 
_____________________________________________ _________ 
 
¶I. Summary 
 
As in previous years, the most widely used drug in Latvia was 
cannabis, followed by synthetic drugs such as ecstasy and 
amphetamines. Although relatively few drugs are produced in Latvia, 
criminals involved in the illegal drug trade use Latvia as a transit 
country.  Unfortunately, budget constraints caused by the severe 
national economic crisis have decreased Latvia's ability to provide 
drug rehabilitation and prevention services.   Latvia is party to 
the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
Cocaine use, although still relatively low, had apparently increased 
over the last few years.  However, the volume of cocaine seized in 
2009 is on pace to decrease for the second year in a row, perhaps 
indicating a reversal of this trend.  Heroin use is also relatively 
low when compared to other substances, but by mid-2009 the volume of 
heroin seizures were already 14% higher than seizures in all of 
¶2008.  However, the overall volume of heroin seized in that time 
period remains below two kilograms and police report that heroin is 
usually sold at "retail" only to people known to the seller and is 
generally not available in public places, though selling tactics and 
methods constantly change. Amphetamines are distributed in venues 
that attract youth, such as nightclubs, discotheques, gambling 
centers and "rave" parties, but Latvian police have made a concerted 
effort to combat drug sales in those locations.   Latvia itself is 
not a significant producer of synthetic drugs or their precursor 
chemicals, but officials believe that a significant quantity of 
diverted synthetics and their pre-precursors originate in 
neighboring countries and transit Latvia en route to other 
countries. Control of some cocaine smuggling through the Baltic 
region is directed by Latvian organized crime groups in coordination 
with other organized crime groups. Russia is the most likely 
ultimate market for this cocaine. Due to reductions in the health 
services budget, the government has closed some drug treatment 
programs and reduced the services offered in others.  The government 
has also decreased funding for drug prevention programs 
 
III. Country Action against Drugs in 2008 
 
Policy Initiatives 
 
Latvia completed an evaluation of its State Program for the 
Restriction and Control of Addiction and the Spread of Narcotic and 
Psychotropic Substances for the years 2005 to 2008. The report 
concluded that the program was successful and authorities have 
managed to maintain stable control over drug use and trade, given 
the fact that the Latvian authorities could not influence external 
factors, such as the effects of joining the Schengen zone. 
 Government ministries prepared an Action Plan for the Restriction 
and Control of Addiction and the Spread of Narcotic and Psychotropic 
Substances for 2009, which had the same priorities as the State 
Program and was intended to guide Latvia's efforts until a new State 
Program could be adopted, but this short term plan was not adopted 
by the government.    The government is currently developing a new 
State Program for 2010 to 2013, which the government plans to adopt 
next year. 
 
In 2006 a program called "HIV/AIDS prevention and care among 
injecting drug users and in prison settings in Estonia, Latvia and 
Lithuania" was initiated with UN funding. The goal of the project is 
to establish a favorable environment in all project countries to 
better implement HIV/AIDS prevention and care activities among 
injection drug users and in prisons. The program is scheduled to 
last from 2006 to 2010. 
 
Peperzine, a new synthetic drug from Western Europe was added to the 
Latvian list of controlled substances in 2009. 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts 
 
Due to the economic crisis, the Latvian government cut the State 
Police budget, and significantly reduced the salaries of police 
officers.  However, the number of personal at the Latvian Central 
Criminal Police's Narcotics Combating Office has not changed. 
 
Latvian law enforcement targets both street level drug dealers, 
through traffic stops and raids in nightclubs, and large 
international drug trafficking organizations through cooperation 
with the United States DEA and other nations.  For example, in 2009 
the Central Criminal Police concluded a 20-month investigation in 
which they worked in close concert with other European countries and 
Ecuador to target a drug smuggling conspiracy led by a major Latvian 
organized crime figure.  In addition, in November of 2008 the State 
Police discovered the largest cannabis growing farm ever in Latvia, 
containing 1,905 cannabis plants. 
 
Based on data from the first half of 2009, the volume of drugs 
seized by the Latvian police in 2009 generally is on pace to be 
significantly lower than in 2008.  However, in the first half of 
2009, Latvian police had already confiscated 14% more heroin than 
they did in all of 2008. Conversely, marihuana confiscations were 
less than six percent of the total confiscations in 2008, and 
hashish seizures were under 18% of 2008 levels.  Cocaine, 
amphetamines, methamphetamines, and ecstasy, seizures in the first 
half of 2009 were, respectively, 5%, 42%, 15%, and 3% of the 2008 
totals at the end of June 2009.  However, the number of drug-related 
crimes in the first half of 2009 was on pace to meet or exceed 2008 
levels. 
 
Corruption 
 
Latvia's Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) was 
established in 2002 to help combat and prevent public corruption. 
According to a KNAB official, the bureau has not uncovered any 
evidence of narcotics-related-corruption connected to high-ranking 
officials. 
 
However, corruption generally remains a problem in Latvia and there 
have been narcotics related corruption cases involving relatively 
low-ranking government officials.  For example, in 2009 KNAB asked 
prosecutors to bring criminal charges against a fellow prosecutor 
for accepting bribes from a person involved in narcotics 
distribution.  This year KNAB also initiated criminal proceedings 
against a customs official at the Riga port for attempting to accept 
a bribe in return for not inspecting a container 
 
As a matter of government policy, Latvia does not encourage or 
facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotic or 
psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering 
of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. 
 
Agreements and Treaties 
Latvia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1971 UN 
Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1961 UN Single 
Convention as amended by its 1972 Protocol. A 1923 extradition and a 
1934 supplementary extradition treaty currently are in force between 
the U.S. and Latvia. The United States and Latvia are parties to a 
bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance agreement which entered 
into force on September 17, 1999. The Republic of Latvia and the 
United States have ratified an Extradition Treaty signed in Riga on 
December 7, 2005. Both governments have also ratified and exchanged 
instruments regarding the Protocol to the MLAT.  Latvia is a party 
to the UN Convention against Corruption, and to the UN Convention 
against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols against 
trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling and illegal manufacturing 
and trafficking in firearms. 
 
Cultivation/Production 
Latvia is not a major drug producing country, but relatively small 
amounts of drugs are produced in Latvia.  Based on an increase in 
the number of cannabis growing operations discovered in Latvia, 
Latvian officials believe that the amount of cannabis grown in 
Latvia may have increased in the last few years. 
 
Drug Flow/Transit 
 
The drug transit situation in Latvia did not significantly change in 
the past year.  Latvia is not a transit route for drugs destined for 
the United States.  Most drugs transiting Latvia are destined for 
the Nordic countries, Russia or Western Europe. Criminals transport 
precursor chemicals for synthetic drug manufacturing, synthetic 
drugs, cocaine, ecstasy, and other drugs through Latvia. Heroin 
transiting Latvia is predominantly Afghan in origin and comes via 
the "Northern Route" through former Soviet Central Asia. 
 
Criminals commonly drive synthetic drugs produced in Lithuania to 
Riga and then transport the drugs by ferry to Sweden.  Benzyl Methyl 
Ketone (BMK), a synthetic drug chemical precursor, is produced in 
Russia and also transported through Latvia en route to other 
European destinations. 
 
Local and foreign organized crime groups smuggle cocaine through the 
Baltic region, and some of it goes through Latvia en route to 
Russia.  Latvian organized crime groups send cocaine hidden in 
commercial vessels from Guayaquil, Ecuador to St. Petersburg, and 
some groups drive vehicles with concealed cocaine overland from the 
Benelux countries to Latvia and Lithuania. 
 
Latvia became a Schengen country on December 21, 2007, thus opening 
its borders to other Schengen Treaty states of the European Union. 
The Latvian State Police reported that the greatest rise in 
narcotics trafficking in Latvia occurred when it became an EU 
country in 2004.  Police do not believe the change after Schengen 
accession has been significant. 
 
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction 
 
The 2005-2008 national strategy addressed demand reduction, 
education, and drug treatment programs. Under that strategy the 
following objectives were achieved: establishment of a co-ordination 
mechanism for institutions involved in combating drug addiction 
(involving eight ministries); holding educational events for 
teachers and parents, as well as updated educational materials and 
informative booklets; inclusion of information on drug addiction in 
school curriculums; establishment of a pilot program for teaching 
prevention of drug addiction, alcohol abuse and smoking; pilot 
programs on drug addiction for local governments; education programs 
for members of the armed forces; and mechanisms for information 
exchange amongst relevant institutions. 
 
Budget cuts threaten to reduce some of these programs.  For example, 
in 2009 the national government stopped funding the Riga Addiction 
Prevention Center, which organizes drug education programs in Riga. 
The Riga City Council now funds the center, although at a reduced 
level. 
 
Due to the economic crisis and the accompanying budget cuts, the 
Latvian government reduced the services offered by publicly funded 
drug treatment and rehabilitation programs.  The government closed 
the drug treatment program in Rindzele, previously one of the 
largest in the country.  The Riga Centre of Psychiatry and 
Addictions, the name of the State Narcotics Center since 2007, 
continues to offer a drug rehabilitation program, but the government 
reduced funding from a level that supported the care of 15 patients 
at a time to a level that only supports the care of two patients. 
Additional patients must pay 150 LVL ($318) per month, a significant 
amount in Latvia.  Government funded regional narcotics addiction 
treatment centers in Jelgava, Daugavpils, Liepaja, and Straupe 
continue to operate.  Private rehabilitation centers in Riga and 
publicly funded youth rehabilitation centers in Jaunpiebalga, 
Gailezers and Straupe also continue to operate. 
 
2008 data on drug treatment clients show a modest increase in the 
number of patients treated at publicly funded in-or out-patient 
treatment programs. The number of those treated for the first time 
at out-patient treatment centers in 2008 increased by 5% compared to 
2007 (659 in 2008 and 627 in 2007). Data show that approximately 
every fifth problem drug or injection drug user sought treatment in 
¶2008. Preliminary analysis indicates that the number of those 
treated at in-patient programs has increased by the same percentage 
as out-patient programs. The number of patients treated in 2009 will 
probably decrease, given the reduced services offered by the 
publicly funded health care system. 
 
Harm reduction programs are operating in Latvia. December 2006 a 
four-year UNODC project "HIV/AIDS prevention and care among 
injection drug and in-prison settings in Latvia, Estonia and 
Lithuania" began. The programs focus includes substitution treatment 
and increased coverage of harm reduction activities. A local NGO 
manages syringe exchange centers, including a mobile exchange 
center, and provides psychological and social counseling to addicts. 
 
 
Part IV.  U.S. Policy Initiatives 
 
Bilateral Cooperation 
 
The United States offers assistance on investigating and prosecuting 
drug offenses and organized crime. The Drug Enforcement 
Administration (DEA) and Latvia Central Criminal Police continue to 
conduct joint investigations in an effort to disrupt and dismantle 
Latvian-based organized crime groups that operate both regionally 
and internationally. In 2009 The DEA provided various training 
courses to Latvian law enforcement officials and USCG Mobile 
Training Team visited Latvia in 2009 to provide a course on advanced 
boarding. 
 
Road Ahead 
 
The United States will continue to pursue and deepen law enforcement 
cooperation with Latvia, especially in the area of money laundering 
and border control. The United States will also encourage Latvia to 
work with regional partners to advance the mutual fight against 
narcotics trafficking. 
 
 
End INCSR Report