VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0352/01 3031550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301549Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0201
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0006
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0001
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0007
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 0050
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0052

UNCLAS TALLINN 000352 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPT FOR INL AND EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR EN
SUBJECT: 2009-2010 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT 
(INCSR) PART I, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL - ESTONIA 
 
REF: STATE 097728; TALLINN 310 
 
¶1. (U) The following is Embassy Tallinn's submission for the 2009 - 
2010 (EUR) International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) 
Part I, Drugs and Chemical Control. 
 
---------- 
¶I. SUMMARY 
---------- 
 
¶2. (U) The seizures of large amounts of narcotic substances, 
detection of drug trafficking conspiracies, destruction of drug 
labs, as well as arrests of record numbers of Estonian drug 
traffickers abroad indicate drug production and transit activity 
are ongoing in Estonia.  It is also an indication of the success of 
counternarcotics efforts by Estonian law enforcement agencies. 
Except for the higher HIV-infection rate among intravenous drug 
users, the drug situation in Estonia is similar to 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) Trimethylphentanyl- an opiate-synthetic drug mixture called 
"Afghan" - and heroin continue to be Estonia's most popular illegal 
narcotics in 2009, but also ecstasy, amphetamines, 
gammahydroxylbutyrate (GHB), cannabis and poppy are available in 
Estonia.  According to the field workers of non-governmental 
organizations (NGO) working at needle exchange points, most 
narcotic and psychotropic substances are available in Estonia.  In 
2009 Customs confiscated at the border 8.8 kg of liquid 
phenylacetone (P2P) of Russian origin hidden in car parts. 
Although P2P is a precursor for both amphetamine and 
methamphetamine, according to the police over the past few years 
there has been no evidence of methamphetamine production in 
Estonia.  Also according to field workers of harm reduction NGOs, 
methamphetamine is not popular among Estonian drug users. 
Amphetamine, however, is produced in Estonia. 
 
¶4. (U) Detection of four drug labs, frequent arrests of drug 
traffickers at the border and seizure of precursors indicate 
Estonia's involvement in synthetic drug production.  As reported in 
the press, according to Finnish police most amphetamine sold in 
Finland was produced in Estonian labs.  While climate precludes 
Estonia being a major drug cultivator, Estonian police have 
detected and destroyed several small-scale cannabis plantations - 
demonstrating drug dealers' intentions to start supplying the 
domestic market locally.  Also, the increasing number of Estonian 
drug traffickers arrested in foreign countries shows Estonian drug 
traffickers' involvement in the international illegal drug trade. 
While in 2008 32 Estonian drug traffickers were arrested in foreign 
countries, 48 Estonian traffickers were arrested abroad in the 
first nine months of 2009.  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 but 
also that Estonian Police, Customs and Border Guards are making 
special efforts to reign in the illegal drug trade. 
 
¶5. (U) According to Government of Estonia (GOE) and NGO estimates, 
there are about 14,000 intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Estonia - 
about one percent of the population. 
According to NGOs the economic recession has brought a rapid 
increase of clients - both new and relapses - who need harm 
reduction services (REF B).  Due to the large number of IDUs, 
Estonia has the highest per capita growth rate of HIV infections in 
Europe.  As of October 2009, a total of 7,210 cases of HIV have 
been registered nationwide, 301 of which were registered in 2009, 
demonstrating that Estonia's infection rate continues to decline. 
 
----------------------------------- 
III. COUNTRY ACTIONS AGAINST DRUGS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) POLICY INIATIVES.  Estonia's domestic anti-narcotics legal 
framework is in compliance with international drug conventions and 
 
 
European Union (EU) narcotics regulations. The final provisions of 
the Law Amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 
that came into force in 2008 brought the domestic law into full 
compliance with the United Nations (UN) Convention against Illicit 
Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.  The GOE 
continuously upgrades its domestic counter narcotics regulations. 
In the beginning of 2009, Estonian Customs reported increased mail 
order sales of synthetical cannabinoids called "Spice" in Estonia 
and the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) immediately included 
Spice and other synthetical cannabinoids to the list of narcotic 
and psychotropic substances and precursors. 
 
¶7. (U) Estonia's accession to the European Union's Schengen visa 
convention in 2008 significantly reduced the number of Finnish 
"drug-tourists" travelling to Estonia to buy psychotropic 
medicines.  Under the new regime, a traveler on narcotic or 
psychotropic medication within the Schengen zone needs a permit 
from the state medicine authority indicating the amount of medicine 
needed during the trip.  Additionally, on January 1, 2009, the sale 
of narcotics such as Subotex in pharmacies was terminated.  Subotex 
had been the most popular drug with finish drug-tourists.  These 
drugs are now made available only for hospital inpatients. 
 
¶8. (U) In 2009, the GOE continued implementation of its 2007-09 
Action Plan based on the National Strategy on Prevention of Drug 
Dependency for 2004-2012, adopted in 2003.  Despite significant 
state budget cuts, all activities continued in a limited form in 
all 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. 
 
¶9. (U) Under Estonia's anti-HIV strategy, the GOE established a 
governmental committee to coordinate HIV and drug abuse prevention 
activities in 2006.  The committee comprises representatives from 
the MOSA, Ministry of Education and Research (MOER), Ministries of 
Defense, Internal Affairs, Justice, and Finance.  The committee 
also includes 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. 
 
¶10. (U) LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.  Combating narcotics is one of the 
top priorities for Estonian law enforcement agencies.  Police, 
customs and the border guard maintain good cooperation on 
counternarcotics activities.  Currently, about one hundred police 
officers work solely on drug issues.  Their primary mission is to 
destroy international drug rings, rather than to catch individual 
suppliers.  In addition to these full time counternarcotics 
officers, all local constables also process drug-related 
misdemeanor acts.  In 2009 the overall trend in crime remained low 
in Estonia and a remarkable decline took place in drug related 
offences: the number of cases of handling of narcotics in small 
amounts dropped by 58 percent and cases of handling large amounts 
by 36 percent.  The decline is attributed to the increased efforts 
by Estonian Police to reign in the illegal drug trade. 
 
¶11. (U) In June, after months of investigation, officers of the 
North Police Prefecture drug squad seized in Tallinn one kilo of 
threemethylfentanyl (aka China White), a record amount of synthetic 
heroin confiscated in Estonia.  The seizure amounted to an 
estimated 35,000 doses with a total street value of $300,000.  In 
addition major seizures from different police operations include: 
37.4 kg of amphetamine, 1.5 kg of fentanyl, 9.2 kg of GHB, 8.8 kg 
of cannabis and cannabis products, 4.6 kg of cocaine and 1.7 kg of 
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and its analogues. 
 
¶12. (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 Estonian-Russian border (the 
European Union's easternmost border).  Another 150 customs officers 
work in mobile units all over Estonia.  Four customs officers deal 
with information analysis and 12 officers from the Investigation 
Department are specialized solely on narcotic- related crimes. 
There are 18 customs teams with 21 drug sniffing dogs.  In March, a 
drug sniffing dog detected 4.5 kg of narcotic substances (3 kg of 
 
 
powdered amphetamine and 4867 ecstasy tablets) hidden in the spare 
wheel of a car boarding a ferry to Helsinki. 
 
¶13. (U) CORRUPTION.  Estonia has a low incidence of corruption, 
receiving high scores on international corruption and economic 
transparency indices - out-performing all other new EU member 
states, except for Slovenia, 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. 
 
¶14. (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).  On April 07, 2009, a new extradition 
treaty between the United States and Estonia came into force, 
replacing the 1924 agreement.  The new agreement is in compliance 
with agreements previously signed between the EU and the United 
States as well as with a 2002 decision of the EU Council concerning 
arrest warrants and transfer procedures.  The U.S.-Estonian mutual 
legal assistance treaty in criminal matters has been in force since 
¶2000.  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 
combating illicit drugs. 
 
¶15. (U) CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION.  Estonia's cold climate precludes 
it from becoming a major drug cultivator. However, the recent 
destruction of cannabis plantations shows Estonians' involvement in 
small-scale marijuana production for the domestic market. 
According to press reports four small plantations - from five 
plants to 247 plants were destroyed in 2009.  Also, in northeastern 
Estonia small amounts of poppies are grown for domestic 
consumption.  Further, seized precursors at the border indicate 
that synthetic narcotics production is ongoing in Estonia. 
According to drug-prevention NGOs, most of the labs are very small 
and mobile, making them difficult to detect and close.  In 2009 
police detected four drug labs: three producing GHB and one 
producing amphetamine.  In addition to production for domestic 
consumption, synthetic drugs produced in Estonia are exported to 
neighboring countries, including the Nordic countries and 
northwestern Russia.  Although the police know the main route of 
the contraband, discovery of drugs is difficult because of the busy 
Tallinn-Helsinki ferry traffic. 
 
¶16. (U) DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT.  Estonia's geographic 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.  From January to September 2009, 48 Estonian drug 
traffickers were arrested around the world, demonstrating 
Estonians' increasing involvement in the international drug trade 
(in 2008 total 32 Estonian drug traffickers were arrested abroad). 
 
¶17. (U) DOMESTIC PROGRAMS/DEMAND REDUCTION.  In 2009, Estonia 
continued to implement its 2004-2012 National Strategy on the 
Prevention of Drug Dependency.  Combating the drug trade and 
reigning 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.  Currently, there are 
eight voluntary HIV testing and counseling centers providing 
services at nine sites.  The GOE and local governments fund these 
centers.  A needle exchange program is operational at 36 sites, 
including 23 field work areas and a number of mobile needle 
exchange stations in Tallinn and northeast Estonia.  Five 
organizations provide methadone treatment at seven sites in Tallinn 
and northeast Estonia.  A toll-free helpline for drug addicts is 
operational 24 hours a day.  Six organizations that provide drug 
rehabilitation services in major rehabilitation centers are funded 
by the GOE and three centers are church-sponsored. 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
IV. U.S. POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶18. (U) In 2009, the U.S. European Command Counter Narcotics 
Terrorism Division allocated USD $800,000 to build two helicopter 
refueling stations in Estonia.  The project is in cooperation with 
the Estonian Border Guard and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and 
directly contributes to national narcotics control.  Construction 
will be completed in 2010. 
 
¶19. (U) The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) in cooperation with 
the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) continued implementation of the 
second phase of a project entitled "DOD HIV/AIDS Prevention 
Program".  The aim of the second phase of the project is to 
generate baseline statistical information on infection rates within 
the Estonian Military Forces using rapid tests. 
 
¶20. (U) In November, in cooperation with the Nordic Council of 
Ministers and the MOER, post is hosting an international HIV 
education conference "The Challenges of Health Education in the 
Baltic Sea Region" to emphasize the importance of health education 
and promote cooperation between stake holders on HIV prevention. 
 
---------------------- 
¶V. STATISTICAL TABLES 
---------------------- 
 
¶21.  N/A 
 
---------------------------- 
VI. CHEMICAL CONTROL ISSUES 
---------------------------- 
 
¶22. (U) Estonia's principal legislation on chemical controls - the 
Act on Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors (ANPSP) 
- implements the 1988 UN Drug Convention objectives and is in full 
compliance with EU legislation on drug precursors.  In accordance 
with the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 
UN Convention on Psychotropic Substance, the ANPSP categorizes 
chemical substances into three categories.  None of the substances 
in any of the three categories are produced in Estonia. 
 
 
¶23. (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.  The Bureau of Import, Export, Narcotic Drugs and 
Psychotropic Substances of the State Agency of Medicine (SAM) is 
responsible for chemical control in Estonia.  Currently, the SAM 
has issued one ephedrine handling license to a company which trades 
ephedrine within the EU.  The SAM has not issued any licenses to 
import or export ephedrine to or from outside the EU.  The annual 
use of ephedrine in Estonia is about six kilograms.  The GOE has a 
pre-export notification procedure even though Estonia does not 
manufacture medicines that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. 
 
¶24. (U) Potassium permanganate and acetic anhydride are included in 
the ANPSP's second category of controlled substances.  Annual use 
in Estonia for both substances is less than one hundred kilos.  In 
order to handle, market, import, or export potassium permanganate 
and acetic anhydride, the producing and marketing venue must be 
registered with the SAM.  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. 
DECKER