Full report

United States Department of State
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
March 2000

Narcotics Control Strategy Report -- Estonia

I. Summary

Seizures of illicit drugs, increasing numbers of serious crimes committed by drug abusers, and significant growth in the domestic demand for hard drugs all illustrate Estonia's expanding involvement in the narcotics trade. The Government of Estonia (GOE) has acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and through strong anti-drug legislation passed in 1997 is confronting the consumption and trafficking of illegal drugs. Although a party to other UN counternarcotics conventions and protocols, accession to the 1988 UN Drug Convention has been delayed pending revision to current Estonian law.

The extent of the money laundering problem in Estonia is unknown. The recently enacted law on money laundering should enable officials to begin addressing this issue.

II. Status of Country

Estonia's geographical position, on the edge of the Baltic Sea between Europe and Russia, makes it an attractive transit area for illegal drugs. The country's growing economic integration with the world economy has attracted millions of tourists. Frequent passenger ferries, linking Estonia to Finland and Sweden, disembark thousands of tourists at a time on the docks, making border control difficult. In addition to package-laden tourist ferries, small boats and freight vehicles are used for drug trafficking.

Since the mid-1990's when Estonian law enforcement clamped down on the illegal metal and wood trades, organized crime has increasingly turned to narcotics trafficking. In one incident in October 1999, the drug squad of Tallinn police arrested 20 members of a drug trafficking gang which had close ties to organized crime. The total amount of narcotics seized during the investigation ran into kilos.

According to the counter-narcotics department, Estonians have been charged with organizing illegal drug shipments that never enter Estonia, but are shipped between other countries. In separate incidents, two boats formally owned by Estonian resident Vassili Trofimov were seized with drug contraband. The Latvian-flagged "Nemo" was seized in France with 23.5 tons of marihuana and the St. Vincent-flagged "Tammsaare" was captured near the Canary Islands with 97 kilos of cocaine and 280 kilos of heroine on board.

III. Country Action Against Drugs in 1999

Law Enforcement Efforts. One police officer in each police prefecture throughout the country has been assigned specific responsibility for drug matters. The coordinating body for the involved law enforcement agencies is the Counter-narcotics Office of the Central Criminal Police. Forty-five full-time counter narcotics officers are assigned to the Tallinn-based Central Criminal Police Bureau, compared to 33 in 1998. A special 25-member counter-narcotics team in Tallinn regularly patrols the streets, high-crime areas, and youth nightspots. In 1999, drug-sniffing dogs began accompanying these team members during their rounds. A separate counter-drug office was established in Tartu, Estonia's second largest city. Another office was opened in Narva, located on the Estonian-Russian border, which is considered to have the second most serious drug problem after Tallinn.

Corruption. The U.S. Government (USG) is not aware of any narcotic related official corruption having taken place in 1999.

Agreements and Treaties. Estonia's law on narcotics and psychotropic substances is the legal basis for controlling drugs, their precursor chemicals, and the trafficking of both, and deals with the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers. The law took effect on November 1, 1997. Estonia also aspires to meet all the requirements of the United Nations drug conventions. Estonia is a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. A working group has been set up within the Ministry of Internal Affairs to work for the accession to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Certain parts of current Estonian law conflict with the 1988 UN Drug Convention, and the GOE must first amend the Credit Institutions Act, the penal code and the penal procedure code before adopting it. On April 2, 1998, the United States and Estonia signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, but it has not yet entered into force. In addition, there is a 1924 U.S.- Estonia extradition treaty and a 1935 supplemental treaty that is still in force.

Cultivation and Production. While the cold weather precludes Estonia from becoming an important source of narcotic crops, small amounts of opium poppies and cannabis have been reportedly cultivated. Primarily for their own use, addicts convert poppy straw into an injectable acetlyated opium solution known as "liquid heroin". Estonian authorities as well as foreign experts have reported that the necessary precursor chemicals and technical expertise are present in Estonia to allow for the clandestine manufacture of amphetamine.

Drug Flow and Transit. The annual illegal drug trade in Estonia amounts to several hundred million U.S. dollars. Amphetamines and other stimulants are imported from Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and, possibly, Russia. Estonian dealers and traffickers also have established direct contact with cocaine sources in Latin America, including Colombia and Venezuela.

In 1999, 192 drug-related crimes were registered, a 16 percent increase over the same period attributable not only to growing drug abuse, but also to the expanding expertise of law enforcement officials.

A separate counter-narcotics unit is functioning under the National Customs Board. Eight border guards have been trained to work with drug detecting dogs. The Estonian Customs Board has entered into a cooperation agreement with three private freight-forwarding companies to halt the expansion of drug trafficking both into and through Estonia. This agreement is directly responsible for the arrests.

Demand Reduction . By international standards Estonia's narcotics trade situation is not grave. While hard figures are not available, the estimated number of drug abusers is about 12,000. According to Estonian police officials, the increased use of MDMA is one of their most pressing concerns. Law enforcement officials report that MDMA is available for purchase in almost every bar and nightclub in the capital city of Tallinn and has become the drug of choice among the 15 to 25 year old age group.

The growing demand for cocaine and heroine, recently unknown in Estonia, implies that unless properly reined in, narcotics-related problems will begin to pose a threat to the society.

Estonian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and youth organizations are also actively participating in counter-narcotics efforts, with a series of anti-drug advertising campaigns, educational exhibitions, lectures and video seminars designed both for students and teachers. Drug related topics are a compulsory health education subject of Estonia's basic and secondary education state study program.

IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation U.S. training programs during 1999 were limited. One Estonian policeman traveled to the U.S. for counternarcotics training via a U.S. Information Service program and the USG again provided Estonia with several narcotics test kits. In October, GOE officials participated in a USG sponsored regional money laundering seminar in Lithuania.

The Road Ahead . In 2000, the USG intends to offer Estonia additional training dealing with drug enforcement and with organized and financial crime. A regional counter- narcotics seminar will be held in Riga. Another priority will be to continue encouraging the GOE to become party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.