The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the State Customs Committee on the 53rd session of the Sub-Commission on Drug Trafficking and Related Issues in the Near and Middle East on November 19, 2018 at Bulvar Hotel a large conference began its work.

  Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Commission for Combating Drug Addiction and Illicit Drug Trafficking Mr. Ali Hasanov, State Customs Committee Chairman Safar Mehdiyev,  Minister of Interior Affairs Ramil Usubov, Chief of State Security Service Madat Guliyev,Chief of State Border Service Elchin Guliyev, Head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Central Asia Regional Representative Mrs. Ashita Mittal, members of the State Commission for the Prevention of Drug Addiction and Illicit Drug Trafficking, UN Development Program Representative in Azerbaijan Gulam Isakzai, international and local humanitarian organizations, a large delegation of 27 countries and mass media representatives participated in the event.

  Guests who came to the conference first visited the Alley of Honor and the Martyrs Avenue, laid wreath on the grave of our great leader Heydar Aliyev and our martyrs who died for our freedom.

  At the event, the most successful works of the Azerbaijan Customs Service in the international exhibitions and competitions on drug addiction were demonstrated.

  The official part began with a short video about our country.

  Opening the event, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ali Hasanov, Chairman of the State Commission for the Prevention of Drug Trafficking and Narcotic Drugs, welcomed participants of the session on behalf of the government of Azerbaijan and wished success to the session. He noted that the modern development period is characterized by the globalization of illicit drug trafficking.

  Thus, the widespread integration of economic integration, trade and transport links are accompanied by the spread of narcotics produced in some parts of the world to other countries.

  The danger of the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs to humanity necessitates the application of a national and internationally appropriate control system. The Republic of Azerbaijan, which considers the fight against illicit drug trafficking as a public duty, has supported all efforts of the international community and has joined the relevant UN conventions, and has established a national legal framework in our country.

  Mr. Hasanov said  that  due to this problem  the President of the country issued 13 decrees and 54 orders and he also mentioned that 36 laws, 23 decrees and 5 decrees of the Cabinet of Ministers were accepted. As a result of effective activity of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, our country has achieved great success in all spheres, our statehood, political and economic independence has been strengthened, continual and sustainable development and rapid modernization of the country has been a prim e place among rapidly developing countries.

He also informed the guests that the gross domestic product of Azerbaijan's economy has grown more than three times. The country's economy has invested  more  than   

 $ 250 billion over the past 15 years, and poverty has dropped from 49 per cent to 5.4 per cent, with only 1.9 million new jobs created in Azerbaijan in 2003-2018 and regional unemployment is currently at 5 per cent .

  He also added that over 40 Olympic sports complexes were built in the regions as a result of the great attention and care provided by the Head of State for the improvement of social welfare of the citizens, the effective organization of leisure, the useful work, as well as the country's first European Games, the Islamic Solidarity  Games have successfully hosted other prestigious sports competitions like Formula 1. Today Azerbaijan is also known as a sporting country in the world, our sports achievements are highly appreciated, and our athletes are making great achievements in international sports competitions.

  Presently, Azerbaijan has a modern transit infrastructure and has become a major transit country between Europe and Asia in international shipping. The main problem with the illicit trafficking of narcotics is related to drug trafficking from abroad. It is evident that this is primarily due to the fact that the republic is favorably located in the geographical position from the East to the West

Recently, internal affairs, customs, border, security agencies have strengthened the fight against illicit drug trafficking by using modern telecommunication and information facilities, a number of preventive and operational-search activities on detecting smuggling of narcotics by various routes and a large amount of drugs was seized from criminals.

  Thus, during the first 10 months of 2018, 2,055 cases of drugs and psychotropic substances were withdrawn from illegal circulation, of which 1 tonnes were 177 kilograms of heroin. Thus, systematic activities have been undertaken to prevent illicit drug trafficking and drug addiction, and to provide a healthy return of drug addicts to a healthy life-style. Activities in the treatment and rehabilitation field are adapted to the requirements of the contemporary world, with regional organizations in the field of international experience and information, bordering and other close cooperation with the states has been established. However, in many cases, there are difficulties in dealing with negative situations for objective reasons.

  Continuing military conflicts in some parts of the world and the resulting occupation regimes have resulted in the growth of drug-crops, drug production, their illicit circulation and other criminal offenses in areas where authorities and international organizations can not control, and billions of income from this activity is directed the financing of international terrorism.

  At the same time, Mr. Ali Hasanov, Chairman of the State Commission, informed the event organizers and guests that over 20% of our lands were occupied as a result of Armenia and Armenian nationalists aggression against Azerbaijan and as a result of ethnic cleansing, more than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs.

  Despite the four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, despite the relevant decisions of the OSCE and Council of Europe, the occupation of the Armenian armed forces continues to this day, 132 km of the state border of Azerbaijan with Iran has become an uncontrolled zone that strongly influences Europe and other countries drug flow is being carried out by Armenians in the occupied lands by the cultivation of narcotic plants by Armenians, the creation of new drugs synthesis labs, drug production and transit base, the acquisition of a large number of new revenues from its sale, the creation of terrorist groups and other conflicts direction to the Zone will further increase the scale of the threat.

  This aggressive policy is a danger not only to the region, but also to the world, by violating the principles and norms of international law, democratic values and human rights grossly. I am confident that the 53rd Session of the UN Sub-Commission on Drug Trafficking and Related Issues in the Near and Middle East will contribute to combating drug addiction and illicit drug trafficking, and will mobilize our efforts by demonstrating once again the will of the international community.

  Mr. Ali Hasanov also informed that according to the decision of the International Narcotics Confederation, Azerbaijan has the right to host the next congress of this prestigious organization in 2019. In connection with this, the Organizing Committee was established by the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev in connection with holding the 36th International Conference on Drugs in Baku on April 16-18, 2019. Adoption of such a decision shows that our country has high level of partnership with international organizations. The problem of illicit drug trafficking and drug addiction is such a worldly problem that no country alone can prevent this problem. Therefore, our country prefers to exchange information and experience with countries in the world, especially with neighboring countries and international organizations.

  Finally, it was mentioned the importance of cooperation with UN agencies in this direction.

  Then, the Chairman of the State Customs Committee, Mr. Safar Mehdiyev, noted that as a result of radical changes in the fight against smuggling, high indicators were achieved. He said that a target management system and mobile groups were set up to carry out operational search activities in the customs service, skilled and knowledgeable personnel were involved and equipped with modern equipment and equipment. During the year 2018, the custom authorities gave extensive information about revealed and confiscated drugs ,psychotropic substances and their precursors.

  Head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Central Asia Regional Representative Mrs. Ashita Mittal expressed her gratitude for the high-level organization of the event and emphasized the importance of developing international cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

  At the end of the event, the participants of the session held a joint photo.

Note that the session will last until November 19.İt is conserved to discuss the present state of the regional and  subregional  cooperation, the implementation of the recommendations adopted at the 51st Session of the Subcommittee, the preparation of a comprehensive and balanced fight against drug trafficking and the decisions of the Special Session of the General Assembly held in 2016 ( taking into account the results of the meetings of the ministers that will be held within the 62nd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs)on implementation of the Political Declaration and Action Plan for the regulation of international cooperation for the purpose of realization, fulfillment of the law 60/1 according to the strengthening the assistant body of the commission on narcotic drugs and the organization of the work of the 54th session of the subcommittee and other issues.

  During the session, the working groups discussed the issues of combating money laundering, illegal financial flows,” darknet”  network and cybercriminals, and dangerous trends in the field of synthetic drugs, including the illegal trafficking of new psychoactive substances, precursors and unlisted chemicals cooperation in the field of information exchange, regional cooperation centers for the exchange of information, preparation and implementation of comprehensive and alternative development programs.