Azerbaijan has recorded the highest rate of injecting drug users in the world. This is stated in the UN World Drug Report 2013, which was published on June 26 in Vienna.
Thus, according to the document 5.2 per cent of the Azerbaijani population uses drug though injecting. In Seychelles and Russian Federation they make the 2.3 per cent of population, in Estonia 1.5 per cent, Georgia – 1.3 per cent, Canada – 1.3 per cent, the Republic of Moldova – 1.2 per cent, Puerto Rico – 1.15 per cent, Latvia – 1.15 per cent and Belarus 1.11 per cent of population.
Azerbaijan is also on the list of high rate use of opioids, especially heroin and opium in Central Asia and Transcaucasia. Thus, the annual use of these drugs among the adult population in Azerbaijan is 1.5%, in Georgia 1.36%, and 1% in Kazakhstan.
As noted in the UN report, the fight against the use of opioids, especially heroin and opium in Central Asia and Transcaucasia remains of primary concern.
In the U.S. State Department report on the control of drug trafficking was noted that Azerbaijan is a transit country for drugs from Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia to Russia and Europe. The report also says that Azerbaijan has increased the number of addicts. Heroin is the most popular drug in Azerbaijan; other narcotic plants grow there too.
In September 2010, the Deputy Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan Rustam Usubov stated that about 35% of the illegally produced drugs in Afghanistan is carried through territory of Azerbaijan.
According to the UN report, “North Balkan route” drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Europe lies through Azerbaijan. Drugs on Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran route are transferred freely. The second “Old Balkan Route” lies straight from Iran to Turkey. People engaged in smuggling here, mainly apply to the help of Azeri and Kurdish population of northern Iran. The third route through Azerbaijan and the Caucasus lies through Turkmen seaport after Turkmenbashi in Baku, where some of the drugs easily smuggles into Russia.
Source: Panorama.am