U.S. Department of State
1997 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, March 1998
United States Department of State
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Europe and Central Asia
GEORGIA
I. Summary
Georgia is not a significant producer of narcotics or precursor
chemicals, but is a secondary transit route for narcotics flowing from
Central Asia to Europe. Although the government is aware of the potential
problems, counternarcotics remained a low priority issue for Georgian law
enforcement agencies, which continued to focus their efforts on perceived
threats to political stability. Law enforcement agencies are over-staffed,
under-equipped, poorly paid, and have a reputation for corruption. Corrupt
and ineffective law enforcement, combined with Georgia's geographic
location as the focal point of an emerging "Eurasian transit corridor,"
creates the potential for Georgia to become an important narcotics transit
route in the future. The situation is exacerbated by the government's lack
of control over all of its territory and borders. Responsible government
officials have requested US assistance in training and equipping their
personnel. Through the export control program the US has provided limited
training for the border guards and customs officials. A team from the UN
Drug Control Program (UNDCP) visited Tbilisi in November to discuss
cooperative activities.
II. Status of Country
Given its geographic location and its ambition to be the focal point of
a "Eurasian transport corridor," there is considerable potential that
Georgia could emerge in the near future as a major transit route. Local
involvement in drug trafficking remains limited, but cigarette and alcohol
smuggling are major criminal activities in Georgia. Interdiction efforts
are hampered by the fact that Georgia does not have effective control of
all of its territory, nor of its borders. Moreover, its border guards and
customs officials are under-equipped, poorly trained and paid and Customs
officials have a reputation for corruption.
Georgia is not a significant producer of narcotics or precursor
chemicals, but is a secondary transit route. A small amount of marijuana is
grown in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains, largely for domestic
consumption. Despite the small size of the economy and the rudimentary
banking system, money laundering is becoming a problem. The proceeds from
lucrative cigarette and alcohol smuggling are recycled through Georgia's
poorly regulated banking system.
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1997
Policy Initiatives. Responsibility for counternarcotics efforts is
shared by the Interior Ministry (MVD) and the Security Ministry (MGB). The
MVD has primary responsibility for combating cultivation and distribution
of narcotics within Georgia. The MGB has primary responsibility for
interdicting the flow of narcotics through Georgia. In practice, the two
agencies have competed for influence and control. In 1996, the government
created an inter-agency group on narcotics control. The head of the group,
Colonel Djemal Djanashia, transferred from the MVD to the MGB in
1997. Despite the existence of the group, and Djanashia's links to the two
agencies, coordination problems remain. While at the MVD, Djanashia oversaw
the preparation of a counternarcotics country strategy.
In addition to law enforcement activities, the strategy embraces the
treatment of addicts and education of young people as keys to the long-term
reduction of domestic drug use. However, Georgia lacks the resources to
implement the program. Parliament ratified Georgia's accession to the 1988
UN Drug Convention in May, 1997. In concert with the UNDCP, the Georgian
government has developed an initial program for meeting the Convention's
objectives, however, at present, the program is not being implemented due
to a lack of funding. Representatives of the UN Drug Control Program
(UNDCP) visited Georgia in November for discussions on areas of possible
mutual cooperation.
Accomplishments. Georgia's counternarcotics accomplishments for
1997 were drug seizures. Georgia law enforcement officials confiscated 1.7
grams of cocaine paste; 1.5 kilograms of cocaine base; 2.3 kilograms of
opium poppy; 7.3 kilograms of opium gum; 59.28 grams of heroin; 64.71 grams
of hashish; 10.7 kilograms of marijuana and made 1383 arrests in 1997.
Law Enforcement Efforts. The government formed an interagency
group on narcotics control, but counternarcotics efforts remain a low
priority for Georgia. All of the relevant law enforcement agencies in
Georgia suffer from a lack of resources. Their personnel are under-equipped
and poorly trained.
Corruption. Corruption is a significant problem within Georgia's
law enforcement agencies. In 1996, the MVD began an internal reform effort
to reduce corruption. It failed to achieve any meaningful
results. Parliament's Commission on Corruption charged several former
senior government officials with corruption; however, no senior official
currently in the government was charged. Georgia's anti-corruption efforts
are hampered by the widespread acceptance of corruption within Georgian
society. In Soviet times, corruption was used to shield individuals from
the communist government. Petty corruption on the part of government
officials is still widely tolerated as an inevitable consequence of
economic hardship and low salaries. To the knowledge of the US government,
no official encourages or facilitates illegal narcotics activity, although
they are reportedly involved in the smuggling of cigarettes and
alcohol.
Agreements and Treaties. Georgia acceeded to the 1988 UN Drug
Convention in May, 1997. The Government of Georgia (GOG) has no
counternarcotics or law enforcement agreements with the United States.
Cultivation and Production. The Government of Georgia's estimates
on the extent of narcotics cultivation in Georgia are unreliable and do not
include those areas of the country that are outside the Central
Government's control. Small amounts of marijuana are grown in the foothills
of the Caucasus mountains, largely for domestic consumption.
Drug Flow/Transit. The Government of Georgia has no reliable
statistics on the volume of drugs transiting Georgia. In 1997, drug
seizures were small in scale and did not increase significantly over
previous years, reflecting the fact that Georgia is still only a secondary
transit route. However, the central government lacks effective control over
large parts of its territory and borders, including most of its maritime
border. Georgia's importance as a transit point could, therefore, grow in
the near future as losses mount on traditional routes.
Demand Reduction. The national program prepared by the MVD's
anti-narcotics unit is comprehensive and includes sections on prevention
and treatment. However, the program has not been implemented due to
resource constraints.
IV. US Policy Initiatives and Programs
Bilateral Cooperation. United States policy on Georgia envisions a
vigorous counternarcotics effort on the part of the law enforcement
agencies, supported by international assistance. This effort would include
aggressive interdiction activities as well as a domestic program to reduce
the supply of and demand for narcotics.
There are no existing bilateral or multilateral narcotics
agreements. United States assistance efforts have focused on promoting
legal reform as a precursor to law enforcement assistance. Official
corruption needs to be reduced for general assistance efforts to be
effective. However, the border guards and customs officials have received
limited US training (through the export control program), and the embassy
has recommended greater engagement with the MVD on selective issues,
including counternarcotics. Training programs for the MVD's anti-narcotics
unit are in the planning stages.
The Road Ahead. The lack of resources and the press of other
priorities make it unlikely that Georgia will increase its counternarcotics
efforts in the near future without encouragement from the US and the
international community. Georgia's potential as a major transit point for
narcotics argues in favor of such encouragement.
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