Curbing supply of illicit drugs: regional states urged to invest in Afghan law enforcement efforts

Noor Mohammad Hashmat representative of Afghanistan on Wednesday urged the regional countries in general and Pakistan and Iran in particular to invest on law enforcement in Afghanistan to control the supply of illicit drugs from its source as well as make serious efforts for demand reduction compelling the farmers to cultivate other crops.
"Collaboration with Afghanistan in capacity-building of law enforcement agencies, and demand reduction of drugs is mandatory to curtail threats of drugs in the region", said Noor Mohammad Hashmat while speaking at the "Regional Counter Narcotics Seminar and Workshop" organised by United Nation Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).
He said the drug seizure rate is based on opium produced in Afghanistan on annual basis. The easiest effective and efficient way of supply control to eradicate the source, he said adding that the partner's countries can invest in the area of law enforcement in Afghanistan to control the supply and increase the seizure rate at source. Noor Mohammad said that reduction of opium production in one area can increase its production in other areas because global drugs addiction is attractive market for drug trade. "Control over drug market and introduction of effective and efficient drug treatment modalities is necessary for eradication of the menace", he said.
He said that the pain of drug phenomenon destroyed not only the homes of Afghans but also the homes of all human being around the globe. It is the responsibility of all to cooperate and fight against the phenomenon, he said. He warned that our next generation will be much in danger than the existing generation if we kept silent. Organised crime groups including drug traffickers are strengthening their networks not only in the region, but globally from Afghanistan to Pakistan, Africa, South Asian, South East Asian region, Central Asia and Central European countries, he said.
He said that peace and security is inter-linked with the drug trafficking "Insecurity not only creates a good environment for farmers to grow opium poppy, limits the choice of alternative income opportunities available to farmers, but also facilitate anti-government elements to intensify their insurgence and terrorist activities through the financial incentives of the drug business", he said.
He said that there is absence of proper systems and processes to stop money laundering. Money laundering fuels corruption, terrorism and instability therefore each country should set up strong Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to identify the money laundering areas and arrest the people involved in it, he said.
Dr Ali Reza Jazini, the Deputy Secretary General of the Iranian Drug Control Headquarters said that because of the failure of the development projects and other measures carried out by the international community in Afghanistan the level of cultivation and production of opiates in the Afghanistan has increased to a large extent for the fourth consecutive year.
Due to rise in drug production and flow from Afghanistan, Iran has given preference to the implementation of a balanced strategy incorporating demand and supply reduction as well as promotion of regional and international co-operation for combating the global scourge of illicit drugs, he said.
He said that Iran believes that controlling drugs related proceeds means cutting the drugs traffickers' life lines. Various regulatory bodies have been added to committees involved in the detection of drug related proceeds restricting the domain of activities of drug trafficking, he said. "Halting cultivation and production which is a point of commonality amongst all drug control programmes in the world will not be realised without global support", he said.
Aamir Abdullah of Gulf Co-operation Council Criminal Intelligence Centre (GCCC-IC) during a presentation said that the center holds a course for specialised training in the mechanism to control chemicals and drugs use. He said that the center also co-ordinate the efforts made by the member states in combating drugs abuse. The GCCC-I is collecting data related to illicit trafficking in drugs and dangerous chemicals, he said. Abdullah said that the GCCC-IC conduct analytical research relating to drug-problem in the member states, and in the region as well as give recommendations in this regard.