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Russian Prosecutor-General: Interaction of SCO members does not match level of drug threat

Yury Chaika pointed to the importance of harmonizing the anti-drug legislations of the SCO member-countries, as well as operational coordination of national drugs lists
Russia’s Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika TASS/Mikhail Metzel
Russia’s Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika
© TASS/Mikhail Metzel

ASTANA, August 27. /TASS/. Joint actions of the law enforcement bodies of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-countries do not correspond to the level of risks associated with illegal drug trafficking, Russia’s Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika told a meeting of the prosecutor-generals of the SCO member-states on Thursday.

He noted that security forces were fighting drug trafficking at an international level, adding that "the Controlled Delivery joint special operations were an effective tool in this work."

"We believe, however, that the measures taken do not match the level of drug threat," Chaika said. "The prosecutor’s offices of the SCO member-countries should, within their competence, actively contribute to stepping up joint anti-drug efforts, boost prosecutors’ role in coordinating these efforts at both national and international level."

He pointed to the importance of "harmonizing the anti-drug legislations of the SCO member-countries, as well as operational coordination of national drugs lists." "Otherwise, international cooperation will be losing momentum," Chaika said.

Russia’s Prosecutor-General suggested "amending the anti-drug strategy of the SCO member-countries for the period between 2011 and 2016 endorsed in 2011" and added that "the law enforcement agencies of the SCO member-countries should establish cooperation with other international organizations in the struggle against the drug threat, both regionally and globally."

"In accordance with the statement of the heads of the SCO summit in Ufa on the issue of the drug threat, its members should come up with a common stance at the special session of the UN General Assembly on the issue of drugs in 2016. The point at issue is countering the so-called liberal approach by some countries to countering the drug threat, which may lead to undermining the existing global anti-drug treaty regime. Prosecutors should take an active part in the development of such a stance of the SCO in the struggle against the drug liberalism as well," he said.