President Vladimir Putin: I know that you have carried out a number of successful operations in cooperation with our partners in the CIS countries.
Viktor Cherkesov: Yes, Vladimir Vladimirovich. Following a decision by the heads of state of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation countries, we carried out a specialised operational-preventive operation called “Kanal” [Channel] in September. Our work focused on the main drugs trafficking routes from the Central Asian region through the Caucasus and through western routes.
Almost all the law enforcement agencies in Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Armenia took part in the operation. Our main objective was not only to identify the active criminal groups that control these drugs trafficking channels, but also to draw on the enormous resources we have for cooperation and strengthen law enforcement work in these regions overall.
The fact that we had developed a general concept for this operation and were able to carry it out in the places where necessary according to the plans we prepared earlier enabled us to achieve impressive results not just in combating drugs trafficking itself but also in having an impact on the crime situation in general in these regions.
Over the six days that the operation lasted, we revealed and put a stop to around 1,500 crimes and some 8,000 administrative infractions in the area of drugs trafficking. Around three tons of drugs were seized from criminals. We also dealt a serious blow to the drugs mafia by seizing from criminals an approximate total of $700,000 over this short time. Furthermore, more than 4,500 crimes connected to drugs trafficking were solved, which enabled us to complete work on searching for dangerous criminals who had come to our attention over this period.
We seized more than 270 firearms – an important measure given the tense situation in the areas where we were working – and we were able, to a large extent, to shut down some of the channels used to bring drugs into Russia from abroad. We improved the situation in regions used as transit channels for drug trafficking, and, what will undoubtedly prove important for the future, we once more tested and mastered practically all the different types of cooperation that will enable us to seriously combat organised trans-national crime in the future.
Vladimir Putin: We need to make use of every channel to intensify our work with our partners from countries participating in the international force in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, they are doing almost nothing to even reduce a little the drugs threat coming from Afghanistan. Nothing is happening and the efforts we have made using diplomatic and political channels have brought no results. But we will pursue this work no matter what. You in the special services should also be more active in promoting the idea that we need to join forces and make use of every possibility to neutralise this threat coming from Afghanistan.
Viktor Cherkesov: We understand this need and are attempting to make our position known. We have invited the directors of the United Nations drugs and crime department’s Russian office to the meeting analysing the results of our operations in order to make the views and work of Russia and its partners from the Collective Security Treaty Organisation clearer to the international community, and in order that they can realise the scale of what is happening around Afghanistan and appreciate just how difficult a job we have trying to contain this threat.
Vladimir Putin: They have to realise the threat to themselves, to their countries, and not conceal it from their own public. What is the share of hard drugs on the British market, for example, that come from Afghanistan?
Viktor Cherkesov: Specialists estimate that from 70–80 percent of the opiate-group drugs on the British market come from Afghanistan.
Vladimir Putin: They need to realise this threat, not keep it from their people and start taking an active stand rather than simply watch as the drugs caravans pass them by in Afghanistan onwards across the CIS countries and then to the Western markets.
Viktor Cherkesov: We are working with our law enforcement counterparts in European countries, in Germany and Britain. We meet with understanding there but I think that there should also be a political reaction to this situation.
Vladimir Putin: Let us use every available channel to intensify this work together.
Viktor Cherkesov: We will do this.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you.