NARCOTICS: ILLEGAL DRUG CONSUMPTION IN SOUTHWEST ASIA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06675419
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: May 18, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-01096
• Publication Date: November 24, 2001

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ORIGIN INRD-00
INFO LOG-00 SAS-00 /000R
DRAFTED BY: INR/I:TROBINSON
APPROVED BY: INR/I:RHUFF
R 240221Z NOV 01
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
�S�Z-4�Pr-E�T STATE 202455
ROGER CHANNEL
NOFORN FOR COM: BURN AFTER READING
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X1
TAGS: PINR, GH
THE FOLLOWING CIA 852950 SERIAL
ACTION SECSTATE
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QUOTE
STATE
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DATED 11/21/2001, SENT
R I AvFoxv
CITE CIA 852950
SERIAL:
PASS:
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
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WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT CLASS T-Er-C-TC-E-T--1+49FORN-
DIST: 21 NOVEMBER 2001
COUNTRY: BANGLADESH/PAKISTAN/INDIA/NEPAL
SUBJ: NARCOTICS: ILLEGAL DRUG CONSUMPTION IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
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DOI:
SOURCE:
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SUMMARY: BANGLADESH, PAKISTAN, INDIA, AND NEPAL ALL HAVE SERIOUS
DRUG PROBLEMS AND TAKE A HARD-NOSED APPROACH TO DRUG TRAFFICKING AND
CONSUMPTION. WHILE THERE ARE SOME TOKEN EFFORTS AT REHABILITATION ON
THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF PAKISTAN, INDIA, NEPAL, AND
BANGLADESH, MOST OF THESE EFFORTS ARE THE WORK OF NGOS. THE RAMPANT
CORRUPTION THROUGHOUT OFFICIALDOM IN THE SOUTHWEST ASIAN COUNTRIES IS
ALSO A MAJOR FACTOR IN THWARTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNTERDRUG LAW
ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. HEROIN IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM DRUG THROUGHOUT
SOUTHWEST ASIA, ALTHOUGH IN NEPAL, MOST OF THE POPULATION IS TOO POOR
TO AFFORD ANYTHING OTHER THAN LOCALLY GROWN MARIJUANA OR HASH.
TEXT. 1
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THERE ARE ONE MILLION DRUG ADDICTS
IN COUNTRY, BUT NO STATISTICAL SURVEY HAS BEEN TAKEN. READILY
AVAILABLE AND POPULAR DRUGS INCLUDE MARIJUANA, PHENSYDIL (A COUGH
SYRUP CONTAINING EIGHT PERCENT CODEINE AND 10 PERCENT EFFEDRINE),
TIDIGESIC (AN INJECTION CONTAINING BUPRENORPHINE) AND EXTREMELY POOR
QUALITY HEROIN. THE CLAIMED ONE-MILLION ADDICTS ARE PART OF A 129
MILLION POPULATION OF WHICH HALF ARE BELOW THE AGE OF 18 AND 40.6
PERCENT OF THOSE ARE BELOW THE AGE OF 14. HEROIN CONSUMPTION IS
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INCREASING AND SPREADING TO RURAL AS WELL AS URBAN AREAS, BUT THERE
REPORTEDLY IS NO COCAINE NOR ANY ECSTASY TYPE SYNTHETICS IN
BANGLADESH. THE VERY POOR QUALITY OF HEROIN IN BANGLADESH MAY
REFLECT THE VERY LOW INCOMES PREVALENT IN THE COUNTRY. FOR EXAMPLE,
ONE PACKET OF STREET HEROIN (0.020-0.025 GRAM OF 2-30 PERCENT PURITY)
COSTS 50 TAKA. COMMENT: IN MID-JUNE 2001, 50
BANGLADESHI TAKA WAS EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY U.S. $.87 AT THE
EXCHANGE RATE OF U.S. $1 TO 58 TAKA.)
PAGE 7 RUEAIIA 136475-1�
THERE REPORTEDLY IS NO OPIUM SMOKING IN
BANGLADESH.
3. A DRUG TREATMENT
CENTER, THEY ARE OBSERVING JUST THE "TIP OF THE ICEBERG" IN TERMS OF
NUMBERS OF ADDICTS. MOST OF THEIR PATIENTS ARE POLYDRUG USERS
(SINGLE DRUG ADDICTION IS REPORTEDLY RARE). OVER THE LAST 14 YEARS
THEY HAVE TREATED ABOUT 20,000 DRUG ADDICTS, BUT THE RECIDIVISM RATE
IS GREATER THAN 70 PERCENT. MANY DOCTORS AND (b)(1)
NURSES ALSO USE DRUGS. THE MOHAMMADPUR REGION REGION IN BANGLADESH (b)(3)
HAS A POPULATION OF 800,000 OF WHICH "TENS OF THOUSANDS" LIVE IN THE
SLUMS. COMMENT: IN MAKESHIFT SHELTERS SERVING AS HOMES IN (b)(1)
THE SLUMS ONE CAN WITNESS GROUPS OF 10-20 MEN SITTING AROUND A LONG (b)(3)
TABLE "CHASING-THE-DRAGON" - I.E. SMOKING FUMES FROM HEATED HEROIN -
NEARLY ALL DAY LONG.)
4. SMUGGLING IS A VERY BIG BUSINESS IN BANGLADESH AND
CORRUPTION IS RAMPANT.
ALL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ARE INVOLVED IN SMUGGLING OF SOME TYPE. THE
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HEROIN IS SMUGGLED IN FROM INDIA AND BURMA BY LAND, AIR, AND SEA. IN
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SOME CASES, THE POLICE EVEN TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN HELPING SOME
TRAFFICKERS. CORRUPTION IS REPORTEDLY SO INGRAINED THAT IT'S ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN OFFICIAL WHO HASN'T BEEN DOING SOMETHING
ILLEGAL, REPORTEDLY INCLUDING THE MAYOR OF CHITTAGONG. MOREOVER,
THERE REPORTEDLY IS NO IN-DEPTH EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT
TO STEM THE DRUG PROBLEM, AND NO COORDINATION AMONG GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES IN BANGLADESH. LIKE THE SITUATION IN PAKISTAN, THE
GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH HAS TOO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS TO DEVOTE
SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO COUNTERING DRUG ABUSE.
5. THE CONTAINER PORT AT CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH, STRETCHES 5.5
KILOMETERS ALONG THE SHORELINE AND HANDLES SOME 400,000 TEU'S (TWENTY
FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS) PER YEAR. THIS IS A PRIME TRANSIT POINT FOR
DRUGS ENTERING OR TRANSITING BANGLADESH, BOTH IN TERMS OF THEIR
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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CONCEALMENT IN CONTAINER TRAFFIC AND IN TERMS OF LIGHTERING FROM
SHIPS MOORED IN THE HARBOR AREA. APPROXIMATELY 10,000 TRUCKS (OF THE
TYPE SHOWN IN FIGURE 1) MOVE GOODS INTO AND OUT OF THE PORT AREA
EVERY DAY. THERE ARE 811 SECURITY PERSONNEL BILLETS AT THE PORT, BUT
ONLY ABOUT 700 ARE FILLED. THE SECURITY STAFF'S MAIN JOB IS TO
PROTECT THE GOODS THAT FLOW THROUGH THE PORT, NOT TO SCREEN THE
PAGE 9 RUEAIIA 1364 SECRET
CONTENTS OF CONTAINERS FOR CONTRABAND. THE PORT ALSO HANDLES BULK
CARRIERS, AND MUCH OF THE LIGHTERAGE TYPE SMUGGLING ACTIVITY OCCURS
---rEURgT--
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FROM THESE VESSELS. THERE IS A DESOLATE AREA ALONG THE COAST (ABOUT
50-60 KM FROM THE PORT) WHERE MUCH OF THIS LIGHTERING TAKES PLACE.
THE AREA IS VIRTUALLY DESERTED (EXCEPT FOR THE SMUGGLERS) AND HAS
MANY LITTLE INLETS WHERE SMALL BOATS OPERATE UNDER COVER OF
DARKNESS.
6.
THERE ARE SOME 3.5 - 4 MILLION DRUG USERS IN
PAKISTAN, ABOUT 1.5 MILLION OF WHOM USE HEROIN. HOWEVER,
ONLY ONE-THIRD OF ONE PERCENT (.0033) OF THE TOTAL
POPULATION (144 MILLION) APE HARD-CORE HEROIN ADDICTS (471,000).
THE UNITED NATIONS (UN)UN
ESTIMATES OF HEROIN ADDICTS IN PAKISTAN ARE VASTLY OVERSTATED, AND
THAT THERE PROBABLY ARE NOT MANY MORE THAN HALF A MILLION REAL HEROIN
ADDICTS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. UN COUNTERNARCOTICS
SERIAL:
PROGRAMS AR INEFFECTIVE LARGELY BECAUSE THE UNITED NATIONS COMES
INTO THE COUNTRY AND STARTS A PROGRAM, BUT NEVER FOLLOWS-UP. IN
ADDITION, THERE IS SO MUCH CORRUPTION WITHIN PAKISTANI OFFICIALDOM
THAT ONLY ABOUT 30-35 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
ACTUALLY ARE SPENT ON THE PROJECTS. THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARD
SUBSTITUTION PROGRAMS FOR POPPY GROWING IS ANOTHER INHIBITOR OF
SUCCESS
THE GOVERNMENT TELLS THE FARMERS THAT IF THEY
STOP GROWING POPPY, THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER SOME OTHER TYPE OF
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, BUT THEY MAKE NO PROMISES. COMMENT:
�e
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POPPY GROWING IS LIKELY TO RESTART IN THE TRIBAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN,
SINCE THE FARMERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN NO ALTERNATIVE.)
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7. HEROIN AND HASHISH ARE REPORTED TO BE THE DOMINANT DRUGS IN
PAKISTAN. ALMOST NO ONE IS SMOKING OPIUM ANY MORE. MOST HEROIN
USERS ARE SMOKING THE DRUG, BUT INJECTION IS GROWING RAPIDLY,
PARTICULARLY AMONG HARD-CORE ADDICTS IN PAKISTANI CITIES SUCH AS
QUETTA, PESHAWAR, AND KARACHI. THE PURITY OF WHOLESALE HEROIN IS
ABOUT 70 PERCENT,
BUT STREET SALES IN QUANTITIES OF 1-2 GRAMS ARE ONLY ABOUT 8-10
PERCENT PURE. ABUSE OF SYNTHETICS IS NOT VERY PREVALENT AT PRESENT.
SOME AMPHETAMINES ARE ABUSED (E.G., BENZODIAZAPINE AND BUPRENOPHINE)
BUT NO ECSTASY HAS YET BEEN NOTED (ALTHOUGH IT IS EXPECTED IN THE
FUTURE). SOME COCAINE HAS BEEN NOTED IN KARACHI FOR THOSE WITH LOTS
OF MONEY. COMMENT: COCAINE IS CONSIDERED A DESIGNER DRUG,
AND IS BROUGHT INTO PAKISTAN BY NIGERIANS IN EXCHANGE FOR HEROIN.)
8. PAKISTANIS TAKE DRUGS TO
COPE WITH THE MISERY THAT IS EVERYWHERE (EXCEPT ISLAMABAD WHICH
JOKINGLY IS REFERRED TO AS BEING ONLY 10 MINUTES FROM PAKISTAN).
PAKISTANIS WORRY MORE ABOUT SATISFYING THEIR BASIC NEEDS THAN ABOUT
DRUG ADDICTS. BECAUSE THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAS SO MANY MORE
PRESSING PROBLEMS, IT TAKES THE ATTITUDE THAT IF YOU GET HOOKED ON
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(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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DRUGS, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM. EVEN SO, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
REHABILITATION FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, ALTHOUGH MOST ARE
THE WORK OF NGOS. THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEM FOR THE PAKISTAN
ECONOMY, IS THE CONTINUAL BRAIN (b)(1)
DRAIN AND CAPITAL OUTFLOW. WHAT'S LEFT IN PAKISTAN IS MISERY, WHICH (b)(3)
IS IN EVIDENCE ALMOST EVERYWHERE.
9.
THE TALIBAN'S ONLY PURPOSE IN BANNING POPPY CULTIVATION WAS
TO RAISE THE PRICE OF OPIUM (WHICH SOARED FROM 2000 RUPEES/KG TO
18,000 RUPEES/KG) AND TO GARNER INTERNATIONAL APPROVAL.
THE AFGHAN FARMERS
WILL BE REPLANTING THIS FALL, ALTHOUGH CULTIVATION WILL PROBABLY
NEVER RETURN TO THE LEVEL OF THAT IN 2000.
10. OFFICIALS IN INDIA BLAME ALL THEIR PROBLEMS ON PAKISTAN,
INCLUDING A SUGGESTION THAT PAKISTAN WAS BEHIND THE TALIBAN'S BAN ON
POPPY CULTIVATION TO DRIVE UP OPIUM AND HEROIN PRICES. THEY CLAIMED
THAT THERE WERE ONLY 69,000 HEROIN ADDICTS IN INDIA AND THAT
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VIRTUALLY ALL THE HEROIN CONSUMED IN INDIA COMES FROM BURMA AND
PAKISTAN.
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
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THE PURITY OF
HEROIN ENTERING INDIA WAS ABOUT 40-45 PERCENT, BUT AFTER CUTTING, THE
HEROIN SOLD ON THE STREET WAS ONLY 10-20 PERCENT PURE.
THE AVERAGE STREET BUY WAS ONLY 0.015 GRAMS (15
PAGE 09
MILLIGRAMS).
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COMMENT: THIS SEEMED EXTREMELY LOW.
11.
A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LICIT OPIUM PRODUCTION IS DIVERTED TO THE
ILLICIT MARKET,
METHAMPHETAMINE IS COMING INTO INDIA FROM BURMA AND IS
USED MOSTLY BY LONG-HAUL TRUCKERS TO STAY AWAKE.
WEST AFRICANS WERE BRINGING IN COCAINE IN EXCHANGE FOR HEROIN AND
THAT SOME OF THE MORE WEALTHY INDIAN YOUTH WERE INTO ECSTASY.
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A DRUG CALLED PROXIMON WAS BEING SUBSTITUTED
FOR HEROIN IN THE VERY POOR AREAS. APPARENTLY PROXIMON IS A PILL
THAT CAN BE CRUSHED AND HEATED TO CREATE A LIQUID FOR INJECTION. THE
HIGH ONLY LASTS ABOUT 15 MINUTES, BUT THE DRUG IS VERY CHEAP. THE
DOWN SIDE IS THAT IT CREATES OPEN SORES ON THE SKIN.
12. NEPAL IS KNOWN MORE AS AN "EDDY" THAN A "FLOW-THROUGH"
COUNTRY FOR DRUGS. THERE IS NO LOCAL HEROIN MARKET EXCEPT FOR THE
VERY RICH AND PERHAPS SOME HEROIN FOR THE TOURIST TRADE. MOST OF THE
POPULATION IS TOO POOR TO AFFORD ANYTHING OTHER THAN LOCALLY GROWN
MARIJUANA OR HASHISH. NO SYNTHETICS IN NEPAL; THEY'RE (b)(1)
MUCH TOO EXPENSIVE. SOME MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL (b)(3)
FAMILY WERE KNOWN FOR TAKING DRUGS, AND WERE EVEN RUMORED TO HAVE (b)(3)
BEEN INVOLVED IN TRAFFICKING. THE ADDICT POPULATION IN NEPAL IS VERY
CBCRET
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SMALL, BUT MIGHT BE GROWING. FINALLY, WHILE NEPAL HAD SOME
REHABILITATION FACILITIES, THEY WERE VERY RUDIMENTARY.
TEAR LINE
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POC:
EVALUATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS WELCOME.
TEAR LINE
COMMENTS, (b)(3)
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ACQ:
DISSEM:
WARNING: REPORT CLASSSECRET--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREICN
NATZGWitS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL
DOCUMENT.
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