Text. Interpol and the Fight Against Drug Traffic

The 20th century has witnessed the spread of narcotics to the entire world. In the past narcotics in the natural economy were confined to territories where drug-bearing plants were grown. By the end of century drug addiction has become a worldwide socially dangerous trend

The most serious menace facing society today is the trafficking and abuse of drugs. It could no longer be dealt with by health or welfare agencies.

The fight against drug traffic has increasingly become the subject of real anti-crime policies implemented at national levels: It is now clear that, since the 1970s, drugs trafficking has become the most organized, most professional and most profitable of all illegal activities. The trafficker of today has nothing in common with typical street-comer pusher, he is ruthless, highly-organized and mobile. It is well-known that law enforcement services throughout the world have increased their efforts and manpower in an attempt to contain this growing threat. Nevertheless, drug trafficking continues to gain momentum.

Similarly, Interpol has succeeded in drawing the attention of its members to the scale of the hidden economy generated by the financial proceeds of drug trafficking. Interpol has also adapted its structures and working methods to the new situation by setting up a special group at the General Secretariat.

Nowadays, most of the large international trafficking gangs engage in operations involving heroin and/or cocaine as well as cannabis. International cooperation has given an operational aspect to national laws on conspiracy to engage in drug traffic, and the successes achieved have led to the adoption of a similar arsenal of legal weapons in those countries where such laws did not yet exist. Moreover, the results of international police cooperation have induced national authorities to revise their polities and to devote more resources to combating international trafficking.

Investigations can no longer be confined to the jurisdiction of the responsible investigating agency due to large-scale drug trafficking. Interpol responds to that need. The Drugs Sub-Division handles those problems. It is currently staffed by 26 police officers and analysts from 18 different countries around the world.

The overall aims of the Drugs Sub-Division are-to enhance cooperation among national drug law enforcement services and stimulate the exchange of information among all national and information among all nation with countering the illicit production, traffic and use of drugs, and to strengthen the ability of national services to combat the illicit traffic.

To accomplish these aims, the Drugs Sub-Division maintains a data bank containing all relevant drug-related information with an index of identified traffickers, coordinates international requests for information and investigations, and complies and disseminates both tactical and strategic intelligence.

The Drugs Sub- Division comprises two groups: the Operations Group and the Intelligence Group.

The Operations Group is staffed by 10 Liaison Officers, each of whom are responsible for liaison with police authorities in a specific geographical area or zone. These Liaison Officers conduct regular visits to national drugs services in their assigned areas, and prepare situation reports, and assessments concerning the extent of the trafficking. On the basis of those reports and assessments specific activities are proposed for each region.

The daily duties of the Liaison Officers consist of receiving and analyzing messages from national Central' Bureaus in their geographical areas and zones. These messages, handled by the Interpol radio network, report on drugs seizures or request assistance in on-going investigations.

The Intelligence Group has the task assessing the worldwide drug trafficking situation, and collates incoming investigation data with a view to developing strategic intelligence. Since the development of computer services the Intelligence Group has been able to process the data in different ways, to examine the quantities and types of drugs transported from one place to another, and to perform in depth area studies.

Intelligence Officers are assigned to deal with information about a particular type of drug or to work on a specific project. At present, officers are assigned to cocaine, opiates, cannabis and psychotropic substances sections. Based on seizure data received daily, the Intelligence Group prepares the publication - the «Weekly Intelligence Message». This bulletin contains several sections: items of special interest, traffic trends, modus operandi and recent seizures of international significance. The last section gives not only the date and place of seizure and the quantity of the drug confiscated, but also the Interval reference number and the identities of those arrested.

Special projects of the Intelligence Group are designed to provide a systematic and structured approach to combating a specific aspect of international drug trafficking which has been recognized as particularly serious and widespread.

Литература

1. Кунина М.Н.Учебное пособие для курсантов, слушателей и студентов по специальностям 030505.65 – Правоохранительная деятельность, 030501.65 – юриспруденция по темам:«Работа полиции. Расследование преступлений. Осмотр места происшествия. Борьба с незаконным оборотом наркотиков. Допрос. Вещественные доказательства». Краснодар: Краснодарский университет МВД России, 2009г. – 166 стр.

2. Справочник по грамматике английского языка для юристов // Смирнова М.И. – Симферополь, 2016

3. Словари: англо-русский, русско-английский.

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