Chechnya: over 22 kg of drugs confiscated in 2012

During eight months of this year, Chechen drugs police officers seized from illegal trafficking 22 kilograms and 244 grams of narcotic and potent substances. During the last year, in the territory of the republic, about 17 kilograms of narcotic substances were seized.

"From the beginning of this year, in the territory of our republic, drugs police officers seized from illegal trafficking 22 kilograms and 244 grams of narcotic and potent substances, including 3 kilograms and 864 grams of heroin and more than 16 kilograms of marijuana. Meanwhile, in the same period of the last year, in total for the republic, about 15 kilograms of various drugs were seized, and, in general, summarizing the results of 2011, in our republic, about 17 kilograms of narcotic substances were seized from illegal trafficking," says a staff member of the republic's law enforcement agency.

According to him, the seizure in Chechnya of larger amount of drugs than in the last year represents the clear evidence of improvement of the quality of work of all law enforcement units.

"I should say that such narcotic substances as heroin and drugs of plant origin come to our republic from the neighbouring regions Ingushetia, Dagestan, and the Stavropol Territory. And in most cases, they are being delivered there by drug couriers from Kazakhstan and Central Asia," he has stressed.

In total, during eight months of 2012, drug police officers revealed 218 crimes in the sphere of drug trafficking.

In Chechnya, the problem of drug addiction became acute in the last 10-15 years. Doctors believe that the dramatic increase of the number of people, who use light and heavy drugs, was caused by the consequences of two military campaigns in Chechnya.

"These kinds of trends, where people, who were under stress for a long period of time, begin using alcoholic beverages or drugs, are being registered practically all around the world. Besides, at present, our society became much more tolerant towards drug addicts and persons, suffering from drug addiction, than in the past, and that fact seriously affects the situation. Earlier, those drug-related problems caused widespread condemnation, it was considered as a disgrace; and at present, it often happens that such problems are being treated as a tragedy of an individual or his or her family. Wars led to major changes in the scale of our values," says Vakhid, a staff member of the Ministry of Public Health of Chechnya.

The Republic's Narcology Dispensary registered 4294 persons (including 2509 persons, suffering from drug addiction, and 1785 persons, abusing drugs), including 40 women and 54 minors. However, the actual number of drug addicts and persons, suffering from drug addiction, is much higher and can reach up to 20,000-25,000 persons.

It should be noted that the use of drugs is not only being condemned by Chechen traditions and customs, but also by norms of Islam religion, professed by more than 90 percent of residents of Chechnya.