IRKUTSK, May 26. /TASS/. A synthetic drug production belt with potential future transit to Russia and Western countries is being formed in Asian countries, said Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov.

"Joint targeted cooperation with the Taliban in combating drug trafficking seems reasonable. Afghan drug traffickers are switching to synthetic drug production. This effectively refers of the formation of a ‘drug production belt’ between Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran," he said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) members’ Security Agencies and Special Services.

The transnational crime involved in this is also spreading its influence to the territories of the Central Asian republics where an increasing number of laboratories are being created to produce new types of drugs, with transit channels being established to Russia and Western countries, the FSB chief noted.

"Moreover, Ukrainian organized crime groups have recently become involved in the production and transit of synthetic drugs, remotely controlling drug labs in CIS countries, with part of the profits being used to recruit perpetrators of terrorist attacks in Russia and to purchase weapons," Bortnikov added.

In 2025 alone, Russian security agencies with the active participation of their partners liquidated nearly 170 drug labs in the CIS, and seized nine tons of synthetic drugs, he said.