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Russia’s drug control service has data Afghan heroin trafficked by IS through Turkey to EU

Significant flows of Afghan heroin were being smuggled to European Union states through Turkey, drugs agency head Viktor Ivanov says

MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. Russia's Federal Drug Control Service has evidence that the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group — outlawed in Russia — is involved in trafficking Afghan heroin through Turkey.

"ISIS militants control a certain area, currently targeted by Russian aircraft," drugs agency head Viktor Ivanov told reporters on Wednesday. "One of the sources of their revenues was drug trafficking," he said, adding that before Russian aerial operations "they [IS] felt at ease".

Significant flows of Afghan heroin were being smuggled to European Union states through Turkey, Ivanov said. Supplies reached the EU along the Balkan peninsula through Turkey while oil flowed in the opposite direction.

"Afghan narcotic drugs bring about $150 billion in criminal money. This reaches criminal circulation and destabilises transit countries, of which Turkey is one," the agency chief said.