A quarter of narcotics manufactured in Afghanistan goes to Russia

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, July 29 (RIA Novosti, Andrei Rukavishnikov) - A quarter of narcotics manufactured in Afghanistan goes to Russia for distribution on the local market and transport to other countries, Deputy Director of the Federal Anti-Drug Service, Colonel General Alexei Sedov told a news conference in Nizhny Novgorod, during a meeting with heads of the Federal Anti-Drug Service branches in the Volga region.

"The transportation of Afghan drugs through Russia has been increasing lately," he said. Criminals attempt to transport the bulk of narcotics through the Volga federal district using various transportation means, he added.

"In the first half of this year, all law enforcement bodies of the Volga federal district solved 14,016 crimes related to illicit drug trade," the general said.

Federal Anti-Drug Service operatives seized about 450 kilograms of narcotics, including more than 119 kilograms of heroin, 151.4 kilograms of marijuana, and 21 kilograms of opium poppy.

"The Federal Anti-Drug Service was formed only two years ago, but the serious situation in the country does not allow us to make step-by-step progress because, according to some estimates, 3% of the Russian population are drug-addicts," Sedov said.

"Despite its young age, the agency accounted for 87% of all drugs seized in Russia this year," the general said.