March 27, 2002 - 22:50 AMT
ACCORDING TO US STATE DEPARTMENT DATA, AZERBAIJAN ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT LINKS OF DRUG TRAFFIC FROM MIDDLE ASIA TO EUROPE
According to the report of the US Department of State on the trends of the international struggle with drug mafia in 2001, Azerbaijan uses its territory to transit narcotics from Middle Asia to Europe. The document in particular notes Azerbaijan has become «an important transit point» on the way of drug delivery from Afghanistan, Middle Asia and Iran to Russia and Western Europe. At the same time growing drug-containing plants has not reached large scales in the country yet, but the attempts to cultivate them are activating. «Up to 15 thousand citizens of Azerbaijan use drugs,» - the report points out. Azerbaijan is mentioned in the report on the occasion of the situation in Russia: US experts conclude Azeri, Chechen and Tajik groupings have top positions in heroin trade in the country.