International cartels expand influence, INCB reports - UN International Narcotics Control Board report

UN Chronicle, June, 1994

The global drug menace has penetrated the spheres of international politics and world economics, as the influence of powerful drug cartels continues to rise, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has reported.

"Today, countries that are not suffering from the harmful consequences of drug abuse are the exception rather than the rule", the 60-page INCB report for 1993 stated. The 13-member Board endeavours to limit the cultivation, production, manufacture and use of drugs to amounts required for medical and scientific purposes only, and to prevent illicit drug production and use, in accordance with international drug control conventions. Its annual reports aim to keep Governments aware of potentially dangerous situations and weaknesses in national controls.

In 1993, increased internationalization of and cooperation between drug cartels remained a strong trend. Trafficking organizations were bartering different drugs and using each other's routes and resources to avoid international control efforts and maximize profits, the report stated. Violence had escalated, and traffickers had become more involved in illegal arms sales.

Heroin and cocaine abuse continued, along with a worldwide increase in the use of synthetic stimulants. The report cited substantial seizures of fenetylline tablets in the Middle East, smuggling of amphetimine and pemoline into West Africa, amphetamine abuse in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe, and growing abuse of potent "designer drugs" in Western Europe, North America and Asia.

Education programmes, rehabilitation of drug abusers and community empowerment were urged as measures to reduce demand. INCB also drew attention to corruption in national drug control systems and called on countries to combat money-laundering.

Since reducing drug availability was a major concern, the Board strongly opposed legalizing drug use, the report stated. All States were called on to become parties to international conventions on narcotic drugs: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972 Protocol: the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances; and the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

Americas

North American States--Mexico, the United States and Canada- had ratified the three Conventions and were pursuing vigorous anti-drug policies, the report stated.

In the United States, policy had shifted from foreign intervention to domestic treatment and law enforcement programmes aimed at reducing illicit demand. In Canada, cannabis continued to be the most widely used drug, the report stated. Mexico reduced illicit poppy cultivation to the lowest level in 10 years, according to the report.

Drug traffickers continued to capitalize on the strategic position of the Caribbean subregion to transship considerable quantities of cannabis and cocaine to North America and, to some extent, to Europe, INCB reported.

Trafficking in cocaine posed the greatest drug-related problem in the entire region. Both weak control measures and legal loopholes in financial and banking laws made the region vulnerable to increased money-laundering activity.

Colombia and Peru experienced an upswing in illicit poppy cultivation, probably due to its higher profitability as compared to coca leaves. Peru remained the largest producer of coca leaves in the world, followed by Bolivia.

Africa

With 15 countries not parties to any international drug control treaty, Africa remained a weak link in international control of narcotic drugs, the report stated. Supplied mainly by local cultivation, cannabis was the most abused drug in Africa and its cultivation was increasing throughout the region.

Asia

South-east Asia was a major producer of illicit opium. Illicit heroin laboratories continued operation in the "Golden Triangle", producing supplies bound for Europe and North America.

While South Asia was updating national narcotics legislation and strengthening drug control administration, abuse and trafficking continued, the report stated.

The Board welcomed the initiatives of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey to strengthen cooperation within the region. Since the region was still a major source of illicit production and traffic in cannabis, opium, morphine and heroin, this cooperation was considered potentially significant.

Europe

The abolition of border controls within the European Union, the opening of borders between East and West Europe, and the ongoing war in the former Yugoslavia posed major challenges to drug control and law enforcement authorities, the report stated. In the former Soviet Union, international trade by road, rail and air was growing, with "virtually no control mechanisms in place".

Oceania

Although Oceania was not a major focus of drug activity, the Pacific Islands were being used increasingly as transit points by drug traffickers.