Between 2019 and 2024, the number of drug-related crimes in Uzbekistan doubled, the head of the National Drug Control Center under the president’s Administration Ravshan Mamatov said at the international event in Tashkent on 15 November. The event focused on combating drug addiction and drug-related crimes, correspondent of Gazeta.uz reported.
“The analysis shows that over the past five years, the number of drug crimes has increased twofold, drug seizures have risen 8.5 times and seizures of synthetic drugs have surged 400 times. These negative trends require comprehensive measures and effective inter-agency and international cooperation,” he said.
Mamatov also expressed concern over the widespread issue of “pharmacy drug addiction” among the youth in the region, particularly in Uzbekistan.
“We are alarmed by the widespread distribution of what is called „pharmacy drug addiction“ among young people. We are ready to exchange experience and cooperate with our closest neighbors in this regard. Given the increasingly transnational nature of organized crime, we can confidently say that only a transnational response will lead to success,” he added.
In 2024, Uzbekistan adopted its first National Strategy to Fight Drug Addiction and Drug Crimes for 2024−2028. According to Mamatov, the primary goal of this strategy is to “form an immunity to drug addiction and intolerance toward drug crimes among the population, especially the youth”.
