Representatives of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) will take part in a meeting of experts, who are expected to talk over the fight against the contraband of precursors in Afghanistan and Central Asia countries. The event will take place in Tashkent on August 28-29 following an initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, BelTA learnt from the OSCE Secretariat.

The meeting is expected to table and coordinate operations aimed at fighting precursors trafficking (chemical agents vital for producing heroin out of opium), first of all, acetic anhydride, in Afghanistan and Central Asia states.

International experts believe the problem is topical as neither Afghanistan’s industry nor other branches of the national economy use acetic anhydride legally. Hence, all the acetic anhydride is used to produce heroin. If estimated opium production growth in Afghanistan is taken into account (around 810 tonnes in 2007), experts talk about 10,000 tonnes of various precursors. For example, it takes around 2.5 kg of acetic anhydride, 12 kg of acetone, and 0.4 kg of hydrochloric acid (averaged data, may varying according to the equipment used and targeted output purity) to produce 1 kg of heroin.

Within the framework of the CSTO’s annual counter-drugs operation Channel special attention is paid to counteracting precursors trafficking: between 2003 and 2006 special services and law enforcement agencies of the CSTO member-states seized over 500 tonnes.

The meeting is expected to involve representatives of European and Asian states as well as international organisations — the UN, OSCE, CSTO and others.

The CSTO Secretariat pointed out the growing international efforts aimed at counteracting Afghan drugs trafficking and underscored the CSTO’s desire to be part of any international action meant to fight illegal drugs.

A special body in charge of counter-drugs efforts has been operational as part of the CSTO since 2004 — a Coordinating Council of heads of agencies responsible for counteracting illegal drugs turnover in the CSTO states. The body is headed by Director of the Federal Drugs Control Service of the Russian Federation Viktor Cherkesov. Within a short time the agency has proved its effectiveness — the first part of the Channel 2006 operation resulted in seizing over 19,285 kg of narcotic and psychotropic substances.