Maria Costa approved FSN efforts to restrict transit of Afghan drugs via Russia to Europe. "Heroin totals 80% of drugs going from Afghanistan. Such a neighborhood make Russia not only [a] transit [country] but also an active consumer of Afghan heroin," he noted. In his words, the Afghan government does not take large-scale measures to eradicate this evil, as its influence in most provinces is very weak.
"That's why Russia is practically an outpost on 'the northern route'," stressed the under-secretary.
According to FSN data, since the beginning of 2004, Russia's drug control service has confiscated 1,030 large batches of drugs (by UN classification).
During his visit to Russia, Maria Costa took part in the work of a round table in the framework of the "Paris pact" on illegal opiate movement through Russia, where he presented an annual UN world report on drugs.
Mr. Costa held a number of working meetings with FSN Director Viktor Cherkesov.
