\"Considering the geographic location of Azerbaijan between Asia and Europe, criminal groups attempt to turn our country into a transit corridor with the help of air and land transports. But Azerbaijan will not allow this and will conduct an active fight with illegal drug trafficking,\" said deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov, opening the conference. Hasanov serves as the chairman of the state commission on the fight against drugs and drug trafficking. He also noted that the effective struggle against drug trafficking is only possible with the common activity of all countries and international organizations.

In the past few years, Azerbaijan indeed witnessed an increase in both the usage and illegal transit of drugs, with Iran and Afghanistan being the main suppliers. Drug-addicted people have been reported in 40 regions of Azerbaijan, as compared to 11 regions in 1996. Azerbaijani authorities have also been claiming that the occupied territories in Nagorno-Karabakh are used for the growth and illegal transit of drugs and that the non-transparent area with uncontrolled borders allows drug business to boom. \"We posses credible information that there are mini-labs in Nagorno-Karabakh that produce heavy drugs. These drugs are then transported through Iran and Azerbaijan into Russia, the Balkans and Turkey\", said Madat Guliyev, the head of anti-narcotics department. On several occasions, Azerbaijani authorities have raised this issue in the UN and Council of Europe, but it has not found a solution yet.

One of the ways to transport drugs along the Silk Road region is the Caspian Sea. Local analysts believe that the Caspian sea is used not only for drug but also human trafficking. Local political scientist Rovshan Novruzoglu told Zerkalo that in 1998-2001, the volume of drug transit from Central Asia to Europe through the Caucasus was 369 tons, including 92 tons of opium, 170 tons of heroin, 105 tons of hashish and marijuana. Zerkalo also quoted the analytical center of the Security Council of Russia, stating that income from the drug business in the Caspian sea is $800 million annually. He transit of drugs through the Caspian sea is also comfortable, because in case of a police chase, the criminals easily get rid of the drugs by throwing them into the water.

Guliyev also added that in 2003, crimes related to drugs decreased by 113, yet the cases of drug confiscation have increased. He noted that the decrease in drug-related criminal cases has been due to the effective work of the department, which opened branches in the north (2001) and the south (2002) of the country. Among the arrested criminals, 36 were foreign citizens. Each year, there is a police operation in Azerbaijan, called \"Khash-Khash,\" aimed at destroying cannabis plants. As a result of this, each year 300 tons of drugs are confiscated and destroyed.

\"Azerbaijan will develop a national program on the fight against the drug trade, part of which will be the creation of an information system, the conduct of training and seminars for customs officials,\" according to Kamaleddin Heydarov, the chairman of Azerbaijani State Customs Committee.

In his turn, Michel Dane, the head of the World Customs Organization said: \"The increase in drug trade networks around the world worries Europe. At this conference, we need to know what is needed for an improved struggle against drugs, and the WCO can provide equipment for the struggle against this evil.\"

Azerbaijani authorities state that 78% of the drug-addicted people in Azerbaijan use marijuana because other types of drugs are expensive. For example, 1 gram of heroin costs 70-100 US dollars in black market, according to independent daily Zerkalo.