DUSHANBE, June 2, 2014, Asia-Plus – On May 31, the Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan (DCA) marked its 15th anniversary.

According to the DCA press center, a ceremonial meeting that was held in Dushanbe on this occasion was attended by Tajik drug control chief Rustam Nazarov, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative Jean-Luc Lemahieua, Afghan Deputy Interior Minister Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, UNODC Resident Representative in Tajikistan Ali Sariyazdi, head of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US Embassy in Dushanbe Mark Wood, and an official representative of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) in Tajikistan M. Kilyaskhanov.

Established in 1999, Tajik counternarcotics agency aims to help combat the drug trafficking through the country from Afghanistan, and is one of the most active anti-narcotics bodies operating in Asia.

Created in 1999 through joint efforts by the Government of Tajikistan and UNODC, the Agency supports law enforcement and provides capacity-building, policy and legislative advice to Government institutions as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking.

The Agency has been instrumental in stemming the flow of opiates from Afghanistan via Central Asia and the Russian Federation to Europe.  In the 15 years since it was formed, more than 14 tons of drugs have been destroyed and the coordination of activities between both national and international agencies has greatly improved.  The Agency has provided information leading to numerous regional drug control actions.

The Agency has entered into collaborative agreements with law enforcement bodies and special services in Afghanistan, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.  Additionally, three fully operational liaison offices were established in northern Afghanistan (in Kunduz, Takhar and Badakhshan).