Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
July 13 2004
EU Wants To Prevent Drug trafficking from Armenia
By Ruzanna Stepanian 13/07/2004 15:51
The EU and UN will provide Armenia with special equipment worth
140,000 euros ($173,661) for the Bavra, Bagratashen and Meghri border
checkpoints and Zvartnots International Airport to stop the possible
smuggling of drugs from Armenia to Western Europe.
Since 2001 the EU has allocated the three South Caucasus states 5
million Euros within the special program designed to fight illegal
drug trafficking. Armenia alone has received over 1.5 mln euros from
EU funds.
“Though Armenian officials do their best to prevent Armenia from
becoming a transit country for drug trafficking, this doesn’t mean
that those involved in drug trafficking will not use Armenia for this
purpose,” said the Paris Customs Service deputy chief Joel Mencue,
who met journalists today in Yerevan. Mencue is visiting Armenia to
help organize training courses for Armenian customs officers.
An official from the Armenian Police Drug Fighting Department, Artyom
Azoyan, told RFE/RL heroin and opium are being smuggled to Armenia
mostly from Turkey, Iran, Russia, and Central Asian countries such as
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
There has been only one case of heroin seizure in Armenia this year.
Armenian custom officials recently seized at least one kilogram of
Iranian heroin. Armenian cannabis and hashish, which are the most
popular drugs among Armenian drug addicts, are not in demand on the
foreign drug market because of their poor quality. “The quality of
Armenian cannabis is too poor for buyers abroad,” Azoyan told
RFE/RL.” Up to 100 kilograms of hashish and tens of tons of cannabis
are seized annually in Armenia. According to Armenian officials,
these drugs are mostly produced in the Armavir, Gegharkunik and
Ararat regions.
According to the police officials, a matchbox of cannabis is worth 5
thousand drams (about $10) in Armenia, while a gram of heroin can be
purchased for no less than $150. According to official data, there
are about 20,000 drug users in Armenia, though police officials
believe that real number of drug addicts is 10 times higher than the
official statistics. On the other hand, Armenian officials insist
that the figure of 200,000 is too high and unrealistic.