Illegal Synthetic Drug Deliveries From SE Asia to Russia Double

Head of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service stated that deliveries of illegal synthetic drugs from southeastern Asia into Russia have doubled year-on-year.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Trafficking of illegal synthetic drugs from Southeast Asia to Russia has doubled year-on-year, the head of Russia's Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) said Friday.

"We have confiscated twice as many synthetic drugs over the last two months than for the same period last year, that is, in essence, the deliveries of synthetic drugs from southeastern Asia are doubling each year," Viktor Ivanov said.

He added that the "most serious measures" must be taken to fight drug trafficking, adding that Russian drugs police confiscated 220 lb of heroin and as much synthetic drugs, while also arresting 100 suspected drug gang members during two raids in February and March.

Ivanov also said that the FSKN plans to implement for the first time a new law, enacted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February, banning the sale and propaganda of smoking blends, known as "spice".

The FSKN head explained that two new types of these psychoactive synthetic drugs would soon be added to the list of banned substances.

More than 40 people have died and over 2,000 have been treated for poisoning in Russia since last September, after taking a highly dangerous type of spice, believed to have been trafficked into Russia from Southeast Asia.