Illicit drugs In 36 editions of 36.

increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states ANGUILLA (dependent territory of the UK)

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US BERMUDA (dependent territory of the UK)

increasingly used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Africa destined for Western Europe CAYMAN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

• illicit producer of cannabis,
• mostly for domestic consumption CONGO,
• REPUBLIC OF THE

• illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
• minor transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe CROATIA

• a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe and the US;
• popular transit stop for Nigerian couriers;
• large domestic consumption of hashish from Lebanon and Syria EL SALVADOR

• transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa;
• cultivates qat (chat) for local use and regional export EUROPA ISLAND (possession of France)

• illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
• transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US GIBRALTAR (dependent territory of the UK)

• widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of marijuana and qat (chat);
• transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and, sometimes, North America;
• Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa KINGMAN REEF (territory of the US)

increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets LIBYA

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin MALAWI

• illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
• heroin consumption and transshipment are growing problems MAYOTTE (territorial collectivity of France)

• illicit producer of hashish;
• trafficking on the increase for both domestic and international drug markets;
• shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe;
• transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe MOZAMBIQUE

Southern African transit hub for South American cocaine probably destined for the European and US markets; producer of hashish and methaqualone NAMIBIA

• facilitates movement of heroin en route from Southeast and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America;
• increasingly a transit route for cocaine from South America intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets NIUE (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

• transshipment center for heroin and cocaine;
• cocaine consumption on the rise;
• world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries;
• illicit cultivation of marijuana SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for European and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa THAILAND

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers TOKELAU (territory of New Zealand)

transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center ZIMBABWE

significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets @NOTES AND DEFINITIONS There have been some significant changes in this edition. The country name Western Samoa has been changed to Samoa. The spelling of Kazakhstan includes the letter "h" once again; the spelling Kazakstan is no longer used. Introduction is a category with two entries-Current issues and Historical perspective-that appears in only a few country profiles at this time. In the future, this category may be added to more countries.

world's second-largest illicit opium producer after Burma (cultivation in 1997-39,150 hectares, a 3% increase over 1996; potential production in 1997-1,265 metric tons, a 3% increase over 1996) and a major source of hashish ALBANIA

• illicit cultivator of cannabis mostly for domestic consumption;
• used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and the US ARUBA (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

• limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption;
• limited government eradication program;
• transshipment point for opiates to Western Europe BAHAMAS, THE The Bahamas The Bahamas

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries BARBADOS

major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem CHRISTMAS ISLAND (territory of Australia)

limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates to Western Europe GERMANY

• world's largest licit producer of opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets;
• major transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries;
• illicit producer of hashish and methaqualone;
• cultivated 2,050 hectares of opium in 1997, a 34% decrease from 1996, with a potential production of 30 metric tons, a 36% decrease from 1996 INDIAN OCEAN

• significant illicit cultivation of cannabis and limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug ephedrone);
• limited government eradication program;
• cannabis consumed largely in the CIS;
• used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia, North America, and Western Europe from Southwest Asia KENYA

• limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption;
• limited government eradication program;
• increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe from Southwest Asia LAOS

illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West NETHERLANDS

• illicit producer of opium and hashish for the international drug trade (cultivation in 1997-4,100 hectares, a 21% increase over 1996; potential production-85 metric tons, a 13% increase over 1996);
• center for processing Afghan heroin and key transit area for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western markets PALAU

• limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption;
• government has active eradication program;
• increasingly used as transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian opiates and cannabis and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe, the US, and growing domestic market RWANDA

• limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption;
• increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe TANZANIA

• limited illicit cultivator of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption;
• limited government eradication program;
• increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe;
• also a transshipment point for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

• limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption;
• limited government eradication program;
• increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe and for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan VANUATU

• considered a long-time but relatively minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe and recent transshipment point for heroin from Europe to the US;
• potentially more significant as a drug money-laundering center ARCTIC OCEAN

• drug money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;
• added to the US list of major drug producing or drug transit countries in December 1996 ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS (territory of Australia)

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money-laundering BAHRAIN

one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe BASSAS DA INDIA (possession of France)

• transshipment point for cocaine;
• small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
• minor money-laundering center BENIN

vulnerable to drug money-laundering and drug transshipment CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots COTE D'IVOIRE

territory serves as lesser transshipment zone for cocaine bound for the US CYPRUS

transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US through Puerto Rico ECUADOR

transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for local consumption EQUATORIAL GUINEA

small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US GUADELOUPE (overseas department of France)

• transit country for cocaine shipments;
• illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade;
• active eradication program of cannabis and opium poppy GUERNSEY (British crown dependency)

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana en route to the US and Europe HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS (territory of Australia)

• transshipment point for drugs and narcotics, mostly along the Caribbean coastline;
• illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption HONG KONG (special administrative region of China)

• transshipment point for cocaine from Central and South America to North America and Europe;
• illicit cultivation of cannabis;
• government has an active manual cannabis eradication program JAN MAYEN (territory of Norway)

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe MAURITANIA

money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe NEW CALEDONIA (overseas territory of France)

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US NIGER

• major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center;
• no recent signs of coca cultivation;
• monitoring of financial transactions is improving PAPUA NEW GUINEA

transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US SAINT LUCIA

transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON (territorial collectivity of France)

transshipment points for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe SAMOA

transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe and producer of cannabis TROMELIN ISLAND (possession of France)

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US TUVALU

• increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe;
• limited opium and cannabis production;
• ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active in Central and Eastern Europe ALGERIA

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe AZERBAIJAN

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe BELGIUM

• source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors;
• transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe BELIZE

transit point for minor regional marijuana and opiate trafficking routes BOTSWANA

• major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;
• limited producer of precursor chemicals;
• significant producer of amphetamines, much of which are consumed in the Middle East BURKINA FASO

• transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe;
• a minor transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe CUBA

• transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
• domestic consumption-especially of locally produced synthetic drugs-on the rise DENMARK

transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus, and cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia ETHIOPIA

minor transshipment point for Latin American cocaine for the West European market FRANCE

transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin FRENCH GUIANA (overseas department of France)

• source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors;
• transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin and hashish, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs GHANA

• a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East;
• some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece GREENLAND (part of the Kingdom of Denmark)

• major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and transit point for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe;
• limited producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamines and methamphetamines ICELAND

• transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;
• transshipment point for heroin and cocaine ISRAEL (also see separate

important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market JAMAICA

• transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia;
• produces illicit amphetamines for export LEBANON

transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia and Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia LUXEMBOURG

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe MAN, ISLE OF (British crown dependency)

limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and Russia MONACO

• important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe;
• European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine MADAGASCAR

• minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market;
• increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines OMAN

major illicit producer of amphetamines for the international market; transshipment point for Asian and Latin American illicit drugs to Western Europe PORTUGAL

• important gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market;
• transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
• consumer of Southwest Asian heroin PUERTO RICO (commonwealth associated with the US)

important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe RUSSIA

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route SEYCHELLES

minor, but increasing, transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish bound for Western Europe SLOVENIA

transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe and for precursor chemicals SOLOMON ISLANDS

• key European gateway country for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
• transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin SPRATLY ISLANDS

minor transshipment point for and consumer of narcotics shipped via the CIS and Baltic states; increasing consumer of European amphetamines SWITZERLAND

• because of more stringent government regulations, significantly less used as a money-laundering center;
• transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin SYRIA

• limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption;
• limited government eradication program;
• used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs to Western Europe and Russia UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market;
• producer of synthetic drugs, precursor chemicals;
• transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin;
• money-laundering center UNITED STATES

• transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
• some cocaine transits as well CZECH REPUBLIC

• illicit producer of opium poppy for the domestic and international drug trade;
• net opiate importer but also a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe IRAQ

increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse and trafficking ITALY

• small illicit producer of hashish and heroin;
• hashish production is shipped to Western Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America;
• some cocaine processing and trafficking;
• a Lebanese/Syrian eradication campaign started in the early 1990s has practically eliminated the opium and cannabis crops LESOTHO

death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine SENEGAL

a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets TAIWAN

• major transit route for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish to Western Europe and the US via air, land, and sea routes;
• major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul;
• laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey as well as near Istanbul;
• government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate TURKMENISTAN

growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai UNITED KINGDOM

• illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market;
• use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors;
• growing role as a transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market CAPE VERDE

• illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 1997-4,000 hectares, a 22% decrease from 1996; potential production-46 metric tons, about a 15% decrease from 1996) and cannabis continues in spite of increased government eradication;
• major supplier of heroin and marijuana to the US market;
• continues as the primary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America;
• increasingly involved in the production and distribution of methamphetamines MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

• consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean;
• consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly methamphetamines from Mexico;
• consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin;
• illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamines;
• drug money-laundering center URUGUAY

• Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products;
• government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate AUSTRIA

increasing use as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US ARMENIA

• world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Peru and Colombia) with an estimated 46,900 hectares under cultivation in 1997, a 2.5% decrease in overall cultivation of coca from 1996 levels;
• Bolivia, however, is the second-largest producer of coca leaf;
• even so, farmer abandonment and voluntary and forced eradication programs resulted in leaf production dropping from 75,100 metric tons in 1996 to 73,000 tons in 1997, a 3% decrease from 1996;
• government considers all but 12,000 hectares illicit;
• intermediate coca products and cocaine exported to or through Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to the US and other international drug markets;
• alternative crop program aims to reduce illicit coca cultivation BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

• limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic consumption;
• government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis;
• important transshipment country for Bolivian and Colombian cocaine headed for the US and Europe;
• increasingly used by Andean traffickers as a way station between Peru and Colombia BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY (dependent territory of the UK)

• a minor transshipment country for cocaine destined for the US and Europe;
• booming economy has made it more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits CHINA (also see separate

• illicit producer of coca, opium poppies, and cannabis;
• cultivation of coca in 1997-79,500 hectares, an 18% increase over 1996;
• potential production of cocaine in 1997-125 metric tons, a 14% increase over 1996;
• cultivation of opium in 1997-6,600 hectares, a 5% increase over 1996;
• potential production of opium in 1997-66 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996;
• the world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine;
• supplier of cocaine to the US and other international drug markets;
• active aerial eradication program seeks to virtually eliminate coca and opium crops COMOROS

• significant transit country for derivatives of coca originating in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru;
• minor illicit producer of coca;
• importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics;
• important money-laundering hub EGYPT

small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe FRENCH POLYNESIA (overseas territory of France)

transshipment point for narcotics from South America-primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis HAITI

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transshipment country for Bolivian cocaine headed for Europe and the US PERU

• until recently the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru has reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 40%, from 115,300 hectares in 1995 to 68,800 hectares at the end of 1997;
• source of supply for most of the world's cocaine base;
• most of cocaine base is shipped to Colombian drug dealers for processing into cocaine for the international drug market, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing PHILIPPINES

transshipment point for South American drugs destined mostly for Europe SVALBARD (territory of Norway)

• illicit producer of cannabis, opium, and coca leaf for the international drug trade on a small scale;
• however, large quantities of cocaine and heroin transit the country from Colombia;
• important money-laundering hub;
• active eradication program primarily targeting opium VIETNAM

• world's largest illicit producer of opium (cultivation in 1997-155,150 hectares, a 5% decline from 1996; potential production-2,365 metric tons, an 8% drop from 1996) and a minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
• surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of serious government commitment and resources continue to hinder the overall antidrug effort;
• growing role in the production of methamphetamines for regional consumption BURUNDI

• transshipment site for Golden Triangle heroin en route to West;
• possible money-laundering;
• high-level narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving government, military, and police;
• possible small-scale opium, heroin, and amphetamine production;
• large producer of cannabis for the international market CAMEROON

• a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade;
• transshipment and money-laundering center;
• increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse HOWLAND ISLAND (territory of the US)

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin IRAN

• world's third largest opium producer (cultivation in 1997-28,150 hectares, an 11% increase over 1996; potential production-210 metric tons, a 5% increase over 1996);
• heroin producer;
• transshipment point for heroin and amphetamines produced in Burma;
• illicit producer of cannabis LATVIA

transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to Western markets despite severe penalties for drug trafficking MALDIVES

• exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets;
• serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine PITCAIRN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering center SLOVAKIA

considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin TAJIKISTAN

• a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana;
• major illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos;
• eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries;
• opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts;
• also a drug money-laundering center;
• role in amphetamine production for regional consumption;
• increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamines and heroin TOGO

• key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 6,150 hectares of poppy in 1997 (an increase of 95% over 1996), with a potential production of 45 metric tons (an increase of 80% over 1996) of opium;
• opium producer and probably minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe;
• growing opium addiction;
• possible small-scale heroin production VIRGIN ISLANDS (territory of the US)