MOSCOW. Oct 27 (Interfax) - Some six tonnes of drugs have been removed from illegal turnover in the regions of central Russia this year, which is twice as much as was removed last year, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said.
"Drug production was stopped in 132 illegal production facilities in the regions of the Central Federal District this year. More than six tonnes of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances and their precursors were removed from illegal turnover, it's twice as much as last year," Patrushev said at a meeting on national security in the Central Federal District.
Almost 13,000 people (a 10% increase) were prosecuted in 2021, including those involved in the organization of drug smuggling from central and Eastern Asia, and also some European countries, he said.
"Numerous cases of foreign migrant workers' involvement in the transportation and dissemination of drugs were found during the operational and preventive activities conducted in the district. More than 600 citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Ukraine were prosecuted," Patrushev said.
The number of solved drug crimes using the Internet and information technologies doubled this year, he said.
"However, the number of such crimes is increasing. Their number in the district increased from 6,000 to 10,000 last year. Such tendency requires further intensification of law enforcement work, increasing its efficiency," he said.
Measures have been taken in the Central Federal District to increase the accessibility and quality of treatment, rehabilitation and resocialization of drug addicts, bearing in mind the scale of the spread and consumption of drugs, Patrushev said. Besides, the regional anti-narcotic programs have been adjusted and work with young people to promote a healthy life style has been intensified.