DATE=2/3/95

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-173500

TITLE=EUROPE / DRUGS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=WAYNE COREY

DATELINE=VIENNA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: EUROPEAN DRUG ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE RECOMMENDING A

SERIES OF STEPS FOR THEIR COUNTRIES TO DEAL WITH A WORSENING DRUG

TRAFFICKING PROBLEM IN EUROPE. V-O-A'S WAYNE COREY IN VIENNA

REPORTS ONE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

CHANGE THEIR BANKING SECRECY LAWS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PROSECUTE

MONEY-LAUNDERING CASES.

TEXT: DRUG ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS FROM 37 COUNTRIES ENDED A

FIVE-DAY CONFERENCE HERE, CONCERNED BUT NOT DEEPLY WORRIED

ABOUT THE GROWING DRUG TRAFFICKING IN EUROPE.

AN OFFICIAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM, PETER

STORR, SAYS EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, WHICH DID NOT FACE

MAJOR DRUG PROBLEMS UNDER RIGID COMMUNIST RULE, NOW REALIZE A

PROBLEM IS DEVELOPING.

/// STORR ACT ///

I THINK THERE IS A WELCOME RECOGNITION WITHIN THE

WORKING GROUPS AND ALSO WITHIN THE PLENARY SESSION OF

THE POWER OF THE TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS (AND), THE

FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO CORRUPT AND

UNDERMINE THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES

IN SOME COUNTRIES.

/// END ACT ///

ONE RECOMMENDATION MADE AT THE MEETING HERE IS FOR THE EUROPEAN

BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC AID

TO THOSE COUNTRIES WHOSE ECONOMIC REFORMS COULD BE THREATENED BY

DRUG-RELATED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE NEWLY DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES

CHANGE THEIR LAWS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PROSECUTE AND SEIZE THE

ASSETS OF CRIMINALS WHO LAUNDER MONEY OBTAINED THROUGH DRUG

TRAFFICKING.

THE NEW SITUATION IN EUROPE, FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM,

HAS LED TO CHANGES IN THE TRANSIT ROUTES USED BY DRUG

TRAFFICKERS TO SMUGGLE THEIR DRUGS INTO WESTERN COUNTRIES.

TRANSIT ROUTES HAVE ALSO CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE WAR IN THE FORMER

YUGOSLAVIA. THE TRADITIONAL BALKAN ROUTE, USED BY HEROIN

SMUGGLERS, HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY SHUT DOWN.

GERMAN DRUG ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL RAINER SCHMIDT-NORTHEN SAYS

HEROIN IS NOW INCREASINGLY ENTERING WESTERN EUROPE THROUGH

POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AND HUNGARY.

HE SAYS CENTRAL ASIA IS ALSO BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT AS A TRANSIT

ROUTES AND AS A SOURCE OF ILLICIT DRUGS.

/// SCHMIDT-NORTHEN ACT ///

NEW SOURCES OR NEW ROUTES FROM AFGHANISTAN, UZBEKISTAN,

TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN VIA RUSSIA TO EUROPE -- THIS

HAS BEEN MENTIONED.

/// END ACT ///

MR. SCHMIDT-NORTHEN ADDS THAT INCREASINGLY OPEN BORDERS WITHIN

WESTERN EUROPE ARE MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS. BUT,

HE SAYS NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDERWAY TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS BY

PROMOTING MORE REGIONAL COOPERATION AMONG EUROPEAN POLICE FORCES.

(SIGNED)

NEB/WC/SKH/JWH

03-Feb-95 11:56 AM EST (1656 UTC)

NNNN

Source: Voice of America