TAJIK ANTI-DRUG PROGRAM NOT WITHOUT ULTERIOR MOTIVES.

Tajik president Imomali Rahmonov has issued a decree on urgent measures against drug trafficking. On the surface, his move is a response to a purported recent growth in drug smuggling into Tajikistan, the transit of drugs via Tajikistan en route to Europe, as well as drug production and consumption in Tajikistan itself. The decree sets up a State Commission for Drug Control; empowers the Justice, State Security, and Internal Affairs Ministries to draft and submit by June 1 criminal anti-drug legislation; tasks the Security Ministry to coordinate the anti-drug activities of all governmental agencies; and authorizes the participation of Russian border troops in "special operations" against drug trafficking.

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