SENSATION!

Vladimir Shyrochenko, journalist

"Vseukrainskiye Vedomosti" newspaper, Wednesday, September 20, 1995, p. 9

Before now they've used to think that there are no "serious drugs" users in Ukraine. So, there are no drug sellers...

However, these days, on Lomonosov street of Kiev city, a patrol squad of guarding militia was interested with a black man. This interest frightened him so, that he ran. After the "runner" (citizen of an African country) was arrested, in a cigarette box in his pocket they found some paper packs with a white powder. Experts were perfect: the powder was heroin -- a strong drug. It took not much time for specialists to "crack" the arrested. He gave evidences, that the heroin was for Kiev drug addicts.

Our information: heroin makes a "cooling" effect on central neural system and appears a drug of psychotropic effect. As the time goes, doses increase inevitably, that leading often to extra-dosing and death. Heroin is used via injections.

According to operative collaborators of MIA Agency against illegal drugs' circulation, who gave this information for "Vseukrainskiye Vedomosti" newspaper, this arrest may claim to an alarming sensation, because a heroin seller was arrested in our state for the first time...

So, specialists' assumptions come true that Ukraine will be used by drug Mafia not only like a transit territory, but also like a sales market. As we can see, collaborators of MIA are ready for this.

Our society has faced another serious problem. Not a single service will resolve this problem, but in the first place, it must be done by few bodies for struggle against illegal drugs' circulation. These bodies are working in MIA system and require a serious technical upgrade, while there is no money for this. But there is a way out: we can use money confiscated from drug dealers to develop the appropriate special services. Such thing is common in the world practice and yields good results. Thus, legislators should take the floor: drug Mafia won't wait. It will act now.

[Translated into English by A.Prishchenko, September 21, 1995]