During January-February of this year, a total of 2,035 criminal facts were discovered as a result of the complex search and operation measures carried out by law enforcement agencies in the field of combating drug addiction and illegal drug trafficking. 659 of them were related to the illegal sale of narcotic drugs, 1350 were related to the illegal acquisition and storage of narcotic drugs, 9 were related to the illegal cultivation of narcotic plants, and 17 were related to other crimes of this category.

    According to the discovered facts generally confiscated from illegal circulation consisted of 1 ton 351 kg 705.29 g of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, of which 434 kg 333.824 g was heroin, 804 kg 697.085 g was marijuana, 21 kg 358.739 g was opium, 32 kg 372.849 g 58 kg was hashish, 357,343 g was psychotropic substances, and 585,45 g  was other drugs. Also, during the specified period, 18,403 methadone pills, 33 hemp plants, as well as 194.4 grams and 1,540 capsules of a powerful substance were seized from illegal circulation.

   During the reporting period, 1194 people were brought to criminal responsibility related to the illegal circulation of drugs, 20 of them were citizens of foreign countries. 10 of the 20 citizens of foreign countries brought to criminal responsibility were citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 6 of Turkey, 2 of the Russian Federation, and 2 of Georgia. A total of 32 kg 459,853 g of various types of narcotics and psychotropic substances were taken from citizens of foreign countries.

   50 facts related to the smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances into the territory of the country were discovered by the law enforcement agencies, and according to those facts, a total weight of 520 kg, 551,788 g and 18,403 pills of methadone drugs and 1,540 capsules of powerful substances were removed from the illegal circulation.

    In total, 48 of the detected crimes were committed in a group, and according to those facts, 230 kg 209.1 g and 190 units of methadone narcotic drug and psychotropic substance were confiscated. 384 criminal acts were committed by previously convicted persons, and 249 kg 728.1 g of various types of narcotics and psychotropic substances were confiscated from them.

    The total value of 1 ton 351 kg 705.29 g of narcotics and psychotropic substances taken from illegal circulation during January-February 2023 is estimated at 54 million 292 thousand AZN (31 million 936 thousand US dollars).

   12,904 people were referred to the Republican Narcology Center of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of AzerbaijanIn order to identify all types of drunkenness by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan during the months of January-February of the current year. Among them, 241 out of 394 people who were medically examined for the purpose of determining drug use were found to be users, and necessary measures were taken in this regard.

   According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 1041 people were newly registered in January-February 2023. Of those people, 499 people are dispensary, 542 people are preventive registration. 26 of them are women. 1035 people were deregistered.

   According to the information provided by the Republican AIDS Center, there is a decrease in the number of new cases of human immunodeficiency virus infection among drug addicts in the country. During the past 2 months, 223 people were infected with HIV. 212 of them were citizens of Azerbaijan, and 11 were foreigners. Among the citizens of Azerbaijan, 16 people (7.5%) were injection drug users.

      During the months of January-February 2023, the "802" hotline phone call service received 205 citizen appeals, of which 40 were drug trafficking, 100 were drug addiction treatment, and 65 were related to other issues (repetition, explanation of the terms of the legislation, procedures for compulsory treatment, etc.). 140 letters have been addressed to the relevant authorities to take appropriate measures on the mentioned appeals.

     Thus, in order to prevent the spread of drugs and drug addiction through the 802 hotline service, in order to prevent the spread of drugs and drug addiction, coordination with the relevant organizations and citizens was provided in an efficient manner, relevant criminal cases were initiated based on the information provided on the illegal circulation of drugs, and a large amount of drugs were seized from illegal circulation, drug users on the basis of their voluntary appeals, families suffering from drug addiction were directed to treatment in specialized medical institutions, psychological support was provided, and the provisions of the existing legislation were explained and necessary recommendations were given.