During 29 September – 3 October 2008, the competent authorities of the GUAM Member States carried out Joint Operation “Narcostop-3” in combating illicit trafficking in drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogs and precursors. In accordance with the Plan of Operation, its main goals, expected results, methods and phases of execution of operation as well as the coordinator – the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan – were determined. The Parties determined also the Main Criteria of Assessment of the Results of Operation.
In the result of operation, there were detected and withdrawn, in particular, more than 683 grams of heroin, 2.4 kg of opium, 6.1 kg of hashish, 367.7 kg of marihuana, exterminated more than 10.4 metric tons of hemp, 62.4 kg of poppy straw, a big quantity of psychotropic substances, poising and strong-effected medicines on total amount of couple of millions of US dollars. On the facts of crime, the law enforcement authorities of the GUAM Member States instituted more than 1450 criminal proceedings, registered 118 crimes carried out in group, brought almost 2000 persons to criminal responsibility and more than 150 persons to administrative responsibility, exposed 6 criminal groups, ceased the activity of 4 underground narcotic laboratories as well as carried out other operative-searching and investigating measures.
In the process of preparation and execution of the operation the GUAM Member States systematically exchanged information through the channels of the GUAM Virtual Law Enforcement Center and Interstate Information Proceeding System. The summaries of the operation will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the GUAM Working Group on Combating Terrorism, Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking.
