Report on the Security Situation in the Czech Republic in 1999
(in comparison with 1998)

Contents

2.19. Drugs

There were no significant changes in the activities of the international trade in drugs in the year monitored. The Czech Republic is a centre for organisers of the international trade in heroin and cannabis products in particular. The Czech Republic is a target country for all kinds of narcotic and psychotropic substances with the exception of crack. It is involved in illegal production and transport of drugs, the illegal production and trade in precursors and laundering proceeds from the illegal drug trade. The Czech Republic remains in trade in narcotic and psychotropic substances (hereinafter NPS) the centre of criminal organisation operations, in particular Albanians from Kosovo and Nigerians. In the course of 1999 the first group of Vietnamese distributors was detected. The origin of heroin distributed by them was not detected; this heroin was highly concentrated. Russian speaking organised groups seem to be also involved in trade in heroin.

The dominant groups of organisers involved in illegal trade in heroin consist of citizens of Turkey and Kosovo (Albanians). Heroin is transported to the Czech Republic by the Balkan route, Czech citizens are increasingly involved in the trade in heroin (in terms of numbers of couriers as well as supporting persons - “landlords” hiring their flats, fictitious company owners, owners of cars, telephones, etc.). The number of deliveries of heroin from Italy increased. Highly concentrated heroin emerged on the market, after its application the number of overdosed drug addicts increased. Cocaine remains of marginal interest to consumers. The most sought-after drug remains pervitin, which is “cooked” from ephedrine. In comparison to 1998 the situation remained unchanged, the production and storage of ephedrine is better monitored. At present ephedrine is obtained from some freely sold medicines (Disophrol, Modafen), which are massively bought up. Amphetamine couriers remain relatively frequently Czech citizens. The number of consignments ascertained in Northern Europe and deemed to be of Czech origin fell. The police did not receive any information on the production of ecstasy, while its organised import into our country remains suspicious. Marijuana remains also very popular (it is imported but it is also grown in the Czech Republic).

The Czech Republic was chosen by organisers of the international narcotics trade as a “safe country”, in particular for overly liberal conditions for legal residence in our country (before a new immigration law came into force) and for practically risk-free drug-money laundering, low punishments for drug offences and the high probability of protecting assests acquired from drug deals without the threat of their forfeiture. On the basis of an analysis of cases we envisage a further increase in the number of heroin addicts, the emergence of companies solely to distribute heroin, the violent settling of disputes over territory and sphere of influence, increasing efforts to infiltrate the state administration, construction and operation of large synthetic drug laboratories and increase in the number of Czech citizens involved in the international narcotics trade. According to the information of the Organised Crime Investigation Department the supply of drugs in the streets decreased, distributors changed their behaviour, the sale is more conspiratory, the mobile telephone numbers used for drug sale are often changed.

The police believes that the amendment to the Criminal Code and Misdemeanour Cod,e which came into force on 1st January 1998, positively impacted a drug scene. Apart from several excesses as the adversaries to the Criminal Code supposed no “clients” of the contact and treatment centres were caught. On the contrary, the operations of distribution networks of organised groups were made more difficult. Due to the general movement of a drug scene to the deeper “illegality” and transfer of a majority of drug addicts to flats and private premises the work of K-centres staff is more complicated. The option to confiscate narcotic or psychotropic substance also contributes to the lower offer of drugs. The change in drug prices sold in the streets was not recorded. The issue is how to determine a quantity greater than small or the fact that involved authorities are not unified in terms of punishment for a certain quantity of possessed narcotics. A proportion of offenders prosecuted under Section 187(a) (possession of NPS for their own use) is 6 % of all drug offences all the year round. The majority of these offenders are also prosecuted under Section 187. Persons prosecuted for possession of narcotics account only for 1 % of all persons prosecuted for drug crimes.63)

The National Anti-Drug Headquarters (the Czech Police Criminal Police Department for detection of organised crime) discovered 22 pervitin laboratories, 2,506 kilos of pervitin, 9.1 kilos of marijuana, 20.38 kilos of heroin, 135 kilos of cocaine, 3 litres of solutan, and 55 kilos of rohypnol. With the international police co-operation the National Anti-Drug Headquarters contributed to discovering of further 230 kilos of heroin, 230 kilos of hashish, 2,000 litres of BMK (basic substance for ecstasy production), and 50 kilos of rohypnol. The Czech customs authorities are an important partner of the Czech and foreign police in detection of illegal trade in narcotic and psychotropic substances.

There is a rising trend for the crime of unauthorised production and distribution of psychotropic substances and poisons and promotion and dissemination of drug addiction.

Drug Crime Development in the Czech Republic in 1998 and 1999
Sections of the CC Name Year Percentage change
1998 1999
187 Unauthorised Production and Possession of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance and Poisons - unauthorised possession for another person 4,056 6,100 50.39
187a * Unauthorised Production and Possession of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance and Poisons - possession for own use - 228 -
188 Unauthorised Production and Possession of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance and Poisons - objects for unauthorised production 101 90 -10.89
188a Spreading of Addiction 1,077 1,302 20.89
* Note. Section 187a has been introduced since 1999

821 (+19) persons were lawfully sentenced for unauthorised production and possession of narcotic and psychotropic substances and poisons (Sec. 187 - 188 of the Criminal Code). 70 persons were sentenced for spreading of addiction (Sec. 188a of the Criminal Code).

2. Crime, Development in Individual Kinds of Crime and Security Risks

2.1. Crime by Regions. Regional Variations
2.2. Misdemeanours
2.3. Offenders
2.3.1. The Crimes of Repeat Offenders
2.3.2. Crimes Committed by Foreigners
2.3.3. Crimes Committed on Youth and by Youth
2.3.4. Crimes Committed by Members of the Czech police, Czech Army, Employees of the Customs Administration and Members and Civilian Staff of the Czech Prison Service
2.4. Victims of Crimes
2.4.1. Information on Victims of Crimes
2.4.2. Information Gathered from the Research of Security Feeling and Attitude of People to Security Risks
2.5. Crimes against property
2.6. Economic Crime, Corruption
2.7. Crimes of Violence
2.8. Crimes against Human Dignity (Moral Crimes)
2.9. Breach of Public Order and Hooliganism, Street Crime
2.10. Crimes Committed on Railways
2.11. Crimes Having Extremist Nature
2.12. Protection of Official Secrets
2.13. Illegal Migration
2.14. Organised Crime
2.15. Terrorism
2.16. Illegal trade in Arms and Explosives
2.17. People Trafficking
2.18. Forgery
2.19. Drugs
2.20. Road Safety
2.21. Searches for Persons and Articles
2.22. Communist Crime Investigation

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