US State Department Annual Report Mentions Georgia

The US Department of State has published an annual International Narcotics and Control Strategy Report, which evaluates the situation in this respect in 70 countries, including Georgia.  

The documents accentuates the location of Georgia through the well-established trafficking corridor, and states that there are high risks of the country being used as part of the route for the trafficking of drugs and narcotic substances.

“Georgia’s location along traditional smuggling routes in the Caucasus leaves it vulnerable to transnational criminal organizations that continue to traffic opium, heroin, and the main precursor chemical used to produce heroin, acetic anhydride,” reads the document.

The report also focuses on the synthetic and so-called ‘club’ narcotics and mentions the raids carried out by the police in two of the most popular clubs of the country in April 2018.

“Synthetic and ‘club’ drugs remain the most popular, particularly with the younger generation. The April 2018 police raids on two popular Georgian nightclubs led to riots in Tbilisi,” states the report.

The document notes the recent changes in the Georgian legislation regarding the use of cannabis and says that in July 2018, Georgia legalized the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes and decriminalized its personal use.

“There is insufficient evidence to evaluate whether this will affect the consumption, sale, and transit of other illicit drugs,” the report states.

It is noted in the US State Department Report that the USA strongly supports Georgia in terms of fighting the illicit use of drugs and trafficking and states that the government of the country is actively involved in the process of eradicating this problem.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya

Image source: 1tv.ge