Level, structure and dynamics of drug trafficking

Kutsev Vladimir Valentinovich Member of Assembly, Assembly of the Rylsky District of the Kursk Region 307370, Russia, Kursk region, Rylsk, K. Liebknecht str., 21 Avto1772@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues and precursors has been a serious threat to the national security of the Russian Federation for several decades. To understand the seriousness of the problem of drug crime, it is advisable to consider the level, structure and dynamics of drug trafficking based on data from individual regions of the Russian Federation ^[1].

For the analysis, official data presented in reports on the drug situation in several subjects of the Russian Federation (Kursk region, Rostov Region, Republic of Karelia and Altai Territory) were taken.

Before studying the level, structure and dynamics of drug trafficking in the designated subjects of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to present a general description of these regions.

So, as of 01.01.2022, the total population in the analyzed regions was: Kursk region — 1 083.0 thousand people; Rostov region — 4 153.0 thousand people; Republic of Karelia — 603.1 thousand people; Altai Territory — 2 268.2 thousand people.

Having investigated the operational situation in the field of combating drug trafficking, the following was determined.

In 2022, the law enforcement agencies of the Kursk region identified 855 crimes related to drug trafficking. In the previous two years, this figure was 725 (in 2021) and 881 (in 2020). Drug crimes committed by a group of persons by prior arrangement were investigated in 2022 (151 in 2021). The number of drug crimes investigated by organized criminal groups amounted to 15 in 2022 and 19 in 2021. The decrease in the participation of minors in drug crimes is noteworthy. So, in 2019, 20 minors were brought to criminal responsibility, in 2021 — 14 people and in 2022 — 10 people.

In the Rostov region, there is also a positive downward trend in the total number of crimes in the field of drug trafficking. Thus, 5,835 drug crimes were detected in 2021, and 5,785 in 2022 (a decrease of 1.2%). At the same time, there was an increase in the revealed facts of illegal sale of drugs, potent and psychotropic substances, and their precursors (in 2021 — 2,985, in 2022 — 3,194). The number of persons brought to criminal responsibility for the commission of crimes of the group in question in 2022 amounted to 2,662 people, which is 7.3% less than the level of 2021. (2,872 people).

In the Republic of Karelia, 513 drug crimes were registered in 2022 (602 in 2021). The share of serious and especially serious crimes was 85.2% (437). 22 drug crimes committed by a group of persons by prior agreement were investigated in 2022. The number of investigated crimes committed by organized criminal groups amounted to 83. 198 persons were involved in drug crimes. By comparison, in 2021 this figure was 214 persons. In 2022, the proportion of minors convicted of drug crimes amounted to 18 people (in 2021 — 7 people).

In the Altai Territory in 2022, 1,697 persons were brought to criminal responsibility for drug crimes. The decrease from the level of 2021 was 3.7% (1,763 persons). In the course of operational activities, law enforcement agencies of the Altai Territory seized 67% more drugs, potent and psychotropic substances from illicit trafficking than in 2021 (528,490 grams in 2022, 316,484 grams in 2021). The proportion of minors brought to criminal responsibility in 2022 was 39 people (in 2021 — 45 people).

If we talk about the methods and channels of drug supply to the studied regions, the situation is as follows.

A significant proportion of drugs enter the Kursk region from neighboring regions (Kaluga, Belgorod, Oryol). The main method of delivery is transportation by road ^[2]. Also, from the analysis of data on the seizure of prohibited substances, it is clear that some drugs are smuggled from Ukraine. In 2022, law enforcement agencies suppressed a total of 18 drug supply channels to the Kursk region (in 2021, 20 channels were suppressed).

In the Rostov region, the main drug transit routes run along large motor transport and railway tracks. Terminals for loading/unloading fuel and bulk materials on the left bank of the Don can be used to deliver large quantities of drugs to the region. It is known from official data that in the Rostov region in 2021, more than 200 traffickers of large quantities of drugs were detained and 10 channels for the supply of prohibited substances were suppressed. 25 drug dens have also been documented, and the activities of several drug laboratories have been suppressed. In general, approximately 22 kg of ready-to-use drugs were seized from the identified drug laboratories ^[3].

In the Republic of Karelia, in 2022, work was actively carried out to identify and suppress drug supply channels. At the end of the year, law enforcement agencies identified and suppressed seven channels. Over 129 kg of drugs, potent and psychotropic substances, narcotic plants and their precursors were seized from illicit trafficking, which significantly exceeds the level of 2021 (55 kg).

Drugs come to the Altai Territory from neighboring regions, as well as from Central Asian countries (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan).

What is common to all regions of the Russian Federation is that a significant part of drug crimes are committed by migrants (both legal and persons who are in the country illegally). In this regard, it is advisable to pay attention to the relationship of the drug situation with migration flows ^[4].

It should be noted that the increase in migration flow itself is not a negative phenomenon, as long as it is controlled. International experience shows that migration flows have a positive impact on the economic and social development of the state, filling some of the gaps in the national economy and compensating for demographic losses of the population. However, with increased migration flows and their uncontrolled growth of crime is virtually inevitable. A. P. Andreev draws attention to the fact that the spontaneous and uncontrollable nature of migration flows has among the negative consequences a decrease in the level of ensuring national security of the state, devaluation of the labor of the country's indigenous people, a reduction in the number of jobs, an increase in crime (including in the field of drug trafficking).

The migration situation in different regions of the Russian Federation varies. This is influenced by a number of factors. For example, in the Kursk region, the state of the migration situation depends on the border status (the region borders Ukraine). Another factor is the presence of numerous diasporas from Central Asian countries and Transcaucasia in the region. Educational migration also plays a significant role. Thus, in 2022, 73,918 foreigners were registered for migration in the Kursk region (in 2021 — 43,044 people). 76,339 foreign citizens were removed from migration registration in 2022 (in 2021 — 41,844 people).

The Rostov region officially accepted 88,690 foreign citizens in 2022. In 2021, this figure was 82,690 people. It should be noted that these data relate exclusively to persons who arrived in the region from visa-free countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan) and the EAEU countries.

The Republic of Karelia is the leader among all regions of the Northwestern Federal District in terms of migration registration of foreign citizens. Thus, in 2022, 19,242 foreign citizens were registered for migration in the region (in 2021 — 12,856 people). Accordingly, the growth from the level of 2021 amounted to 49.7%.

The Altai Territory is less attractive for foreign migrants due to its territorial remoteness, weather and geographical factors. In 2021, 8,319 foreign migrants arrived in the region, in 2022 — 7,559 people.

If we look at Russia as a whole, the largest share of foreign migrants are citizens of the following countries: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan ^[5]. There are also many citizens of Ukraine among those with foreign citizenship living in the territory of the Russian Federation. So, in 2022, 26,060 citizens of the LDPR and Ukraine were registered for migration in the Kursk region (in 2021 — 73,228 people). In general, by the end of 2022, the number of foreigners who arrived in Russia for the purpose of working was about 3.47 million people (almost a third more than in 2021).

A review of judicial practice in individual regions and in the country as a whole shows that a significant part of drug crimes are committed by migrants. It is important to understand here that along with legal migration, there is also illegal migration. The subjects of illegal migration are stateless persons and citizens of foreign states who entered the Russian Federation illegally (for example, using forged documents) or whose documents were expired. Due to the inability to get a job, such persons often become participants in various kinds of crimes, including in the field of drug trafficking.

The situation with drug crime is complicated by the fact that drug criminals have begun to actively use new contactless methods of distribution and sale of drugs ^[6]. Thus, in 2022, 541 IT drug crimes were registered in the Kursk region, which is 61.5% more than the level of 2021 (335). According to the results of 2022, 2,041 crimes related to the sale of drugs using the Internet were detected in the Rostov region (in 2021 — 1,492). The number of drug crimes committed using IT technologies is increasing in all regions.

The investigation of IT drug crimes is characterized by certain difficulties, since it is quite problematic to track down the perpetrator. In addition, the perpetrators of crimes in this way themselves do not know anything about the organizers of criminal activity. Some success was achieved due to the involvement of volunteers representing the youth anti-drug project "Cyber Patrol" in the search for illegal content ^[7].

Among the priority areas of the fight against drug crime, it is necessary to highlight the identification and suppression of activities related to the maintenance of drug dens.

In 2022, 5 drug dens were identified in the Kursk region (the same number in 2021). In 2021, 25 drug dens were identified in the Rostov region. In 2022, the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Karelia identified 5 drug dens. In the Altai Territory, 17 drug dens were identified in 2022, which is one less than in 2021.

The above statistics confirm that the problem of drug crime is still relevant. If we compare the current situation with the indicators that took place even ten years ago, then improvements are evident ^[8]. According to some reports, the number of registered drug addicts has decreased by a quarter over a ten-year period, and the number of crimes committed while intoxicated has decreased by a third. However, the problem of drug crime in the country as a whole continues to be acute. Control over the drug situation is largely ensured through comprehensive measures and measures implemented by authorized bodies ^[9]. Such measures include preventive work with adolescents and young people; encouraging citizens to take an active civic position in the fight against drugs, their non-medical use and illegal distribution; working with people who have undergone drug treatment and rehabilitation (providing them with legal assistance, counseling, assistance in employment, etc.).

An integrated approach and coverage of people from the risk group (drug addicts, people who have undergone drug treatment and rehabilitation, migrants, minors from disadvantaged families) will contribute to stabilizing the situation and reducing drug crime in general ^[10].

Concluding the study devoted to the study of the level, structure and dynamics of crimes in the field of drug trafficking, it should be noted that the above statistics suggest that the drug situation in the country remains at a relatively stable level. According to some indicators, there is an increase, but most of the negative phenomena are on the decline. This is largely due to the active work of government and law enforcement agencies to combat non-medical drug use and illicit drug trafficking. Recently, the fight against contactless methods of drug distribution has intensified, which has already given some success.

To reduce the rates of drug crime, it is proposed to continue the implementation of preventive measures, to work out the issue of employment of people with drug addiction who have undergone treatment and rehabilitation. It is also extremely important to form a negative attitude among the population towards drugs, their use and distribution by any means (including through the Internet). An active civic position plays a rather important role in the detection and suppression of crimes related to drug trafficking.

Recently, the problem with the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents and young people using electronic devices (vapes, electronic cigarettes), which are freely available, has become more urgent. To solve this problem, it is necessary to establish at the legislative level a ban on the use of electronic smoking devices in public places, as well as to restrict their free sale. Also, for the purpose of prevention, it is advisable to introduce the practice of testing minors for the consumption of narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances.

Accordingly, in order to increase the effectiveness of the fight against drug crime, an integrated approach is needed, including preventive work with minors; the establishment of a legislative ban on the use of psychoactive substances in public places using electronic devices; anti-drug advertising on television and on the Internet; stricter control of migration flows.