US Department of State: Transnational Drug Organizations Use New Drag Trafficking Routes Through Georgia
Since the start of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, transnational drug organizations have been using new drug trafficking routes across Georgia to transport opioids and synthetic drugs from Europe to countries such as Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The report says that Georgia remains a critical hub in the global drug trade, particularly as a transit point for significant quantities of opiates and synthetic drugs flowing from Afghanistan, Iran, and other Eurasian countries to Europe via the Black Sea.
The report notes that the United States continued to strengthen counter-narcotics capacity of Georgia, providing comprehensive assistance to strengthen the country’s law enforcement capabilities in 2023. The U.S. assistance included specialized training in the detection and prevention of cross-border drug smuggling, as well as expertise in passenger identification, screening, and money laundering detection. An important component of this effort was facilitating international cooperation, particularly through information sharing and joint operations targeting transnational criminal organizations.
The reports says that in April 2023, when U.S. facilitated an operation between the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department (CCPD) and Belgian law enforcement, resulting in the seizure of 400 kilograms of heroin. Further cooperation in May 2023 led to the identification of another shipment from Iran at the Georgian port of Poti, resulting in the seizure of an additional 80 kilograms of heroin.
The INL report also highlights that Georgia joined the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Counter the Threat of Synthetic Drugs and signed an agreement with the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
Despite progress, challenges remain, with the INL report noting in particular that “geographical access to Opioid Substitution Therapy remains a recurring problem as a long-term medical program for opioid substitution in the penal system remains undeveloped.”
Also Read:
- 17/08/2023 – Local Watchdog on Drug Policy Trends in 2022 Reveals Continued Emphasis on Punitive Measures
- 14/02/2023 – 45 People Arrested for Drug Offences, Including 23 Drug Dealers
- 02/12/2021 – Parliament Toughens Penalties for Illegal Drug Dealing
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