On February 28, the next meeting of the Commission was held in the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan to discuss the work done by the relevant ministry, committee and other organizations during the past year under the chairmanship of Ali Ahmadov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the State Commission for Combating Drug Addiction and Illegal Trafficking in Narcotics.
At the meeting, work done in 2022 and upcoming tasks were discussed on the implementation of the "2019-2024 State Program on Illegal Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors and Combating Drug Addiction" approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated July 22,2019
It was noted that the purposeful activity of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, aimed at specific goals, provided a systematic and complex approach to solving the problems related to the political and socio-economic life of the country, and made it possible to choose the most efficient methods and tools to fulfill the tasks. At the same time, the need to protect people"s health and prevent the erosion of moral values in the country has seriously increased the importance of the fight against drug addiction and illegal drug trafficking. During the reporting period, appropriate necessary measures were taken to strengthen the fight against illegal drug trafficking, anti-narcotics propaganda, return to a healthy life by treating drug addicts, improving the legislation in this area, and further increasing the efficiency of the work carried out in the direction of the implementation of the mentioned State Program.
During 2022, law enforcement authorities removed more than 5 tons 470 kilograms of various types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances from illegal circulation, 2 tons 861 kilograms of confiscated narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were smuggled into our country in 2022, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as a result of the investigation of the criminal cases initiated in connection with the illegal circulation of substances, 8,677 people were brought to criminal responsibility, 99 of the people brought to criminal responsibility were citizens of foreign countries, and the number of those registered with the diagnosis of drug addiction was 35,097.
First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Seyfulla Azimov, First Deputy Prosecutor General Elchin Mammadov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee Javad Gasimov, Deputy Chief of the State Border Service Firuz Shirinzade, Deputy Minister of Health Nadir Zeynalov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Mrs. Indira Hajiyeva made a speech and gave detailed information about the combat measures taken in this area by the institutions they represent, the results achieved and the tasks ahead.
At the meeting, concern was expressed about the fact of illegal smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances into the country in recent times, as well as the increase in indicators related to the use of narcotic drugs in some cities and regions compared to 2021. In order to prevent such cases, it was emphasized the need to increase the efforts of the relevant state institutions and the public, and to further strengthen preventive measures against drug addiction and educational work by organizing them in a comprehensive manner by the relevant authorities.
Finally, a relevant decision was made to set specific duties before the relevant institutions for the implementation of the tasks ahead, the strengthening of activities in the field of preventing the smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances into the country, the expansion of the application of modern technologies, the improvement of the material and technical base of drug treatment institutions, the creation of rehabilitation centers, organization of propaganda and educational work with effective means, strengthening the fight against drug trafficking and drug addiction in cities and regions where drug addiction is particularly widespread, implementing social and educational events together with non-governmental organizations and further increasing efficiency in the direction of implementing other necessary measures connected with the mentioned issue.
