MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN

The Government of Brazil’s lead agency for combating narcotics trafficking is the Federal Police (DPF). In 2013, the DPF announced it would be increasing its workforce by 1,200 to include 600 new agents, 150 new supervisors, and 450 support personnel. The National Secretariat for Drug Policy (SENAD) is the nation’s primary drug policy development entity. SENAD received new leadership in 2013 and developed a stronger focus on drug treatment.

On June 3, in recognition of the need for federal partnership with state police, President Dilma Rousseff announced a new plan to provide mobile scanning devices to state police for drug interdiction as well as a $15 million plan to install surveillance cameras in border states to combat narcotics and other forms of illegal trafficking. On August 2, Brazil enacted Law No. 12.850 to enhance federal efforts against organized crime. The new law calls for greater cooperation between federal, state, and municipal police forces, and authorizes methods of evidence collection such as wiretaps and undercover operations.

Brazil maintains bilateral narcotics control agreements with the United States and every country in South America in addition to formal partnerships with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Drug Abuse Commission, and INTERPOL. Brazil also has extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties with the United States that are utilized regularly to the benefit of both countries, though Brazil does not extradite its nationals.

2. Supply Reduction

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software donations contributed to this new capability. These installations contributed to the success of Operations Agata VII and Trapézio III. Concluded on June 6, Operation Agata VII resulted in the seizure of 25.3 metric tons (MT) of marijuana and 657 kilograms (kg) of cocaine. Operation Trapézio III, a joint operation between the security forces of Brazil and Peru, targeted cocaine traffickers operating in the tri-border region of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, and resulted in the destruction of 28 clandestine labs and the seizure of 29,000 liters of gasoline, 54 MT of precursor chemicals, and 17 MT of cocaine sulfate.

Brazil remains a major transit route for cocaine emanating from the source countries of Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Cocaine continues to be smuggled across land borders via small aircraft and trucks as well as boats utilizing the vast Amazon River system. In 2013, the volume of Peruvian and Bolivian cocaine trafficked by aircraft into Brazil increased notably. The majority of cocaine entering Brazil is destined for the domestic market and Europe through West Africa via international air shipment and containerized cargo ships. In 2013, the DPF, working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, seized 500 kg of Bolivian cocaine in Belém. The cocaine was hidden in the gas tanks of a truck convoy that originated in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and transited through the state of São Paulo state before reaching Belém. This may mark the emergence of a new trafficking route, as the majority of cocaine reaching Belém traditionally originates in Colombia and Peru and is smuggled via riverboat for later transshipment to West Africa and Europe.

Brazil also performs marijuana eradication operations in the states of Bahia and Pernambuco, in addition to joint marijuana eradication operations with Paraguay. Synthetic drugs, although present and circulating, are not considered a priority by the Government of Brazil in the face of its overwhelming crack cocaine problem.

In 2013, the DPF reported seizures of 35.7 MT of cocaine and 220.8 MT of marijuana (seized or eradicated). During the year, there were over 11,700 arrests on drug related charges.

3. Drug Abuse Awareness, Demand Reduction, and Treatment

Brazilian federal and state authorities actively promoted drug abuse awareness in 2013 through various media and outreach campaigns. These efforts include the PROERD program, Brazil’s version of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, which is implemented in schools by state police forces. In 2013, the federal government’s signature program, “Crack, It’s Possible to Win,” provided 693 new beds for drug treatment in government hospitals, 56 mobile treatment units, and 6,800 beds located in therapeutic communities. SENAD is also promoting distance learning and increased training for professionals working in drug treatment and demand reduction, with a stated goal of training 279,000 professionals in 2013.

In September, SENAD released the results of a landmark nationwide study of drug and alcohol use conducted pursuant to the national Integrated Plan to Confront Crack and Other Drugs. The study revealed an estimated 370,000 users of cocaine-base products in Brazilian state capital cities but did not provide an estimate of users nationwide. Many Brazilian drug experts

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Survey in 2012 indicated that 62 percent of marijuana users in the country had their first contact with the drug before turning 18, compared to 40 percent in 2006. Despite the emphasis on drug abuse awareness, demand reduction, and treatment, Brazil’s programs are not yet commensurate with the size of the addict population.

4. Corruption

As a matter of government policy, Brazil does not encourage or facilitate illegal activity associated with drug trafficking and there has been no evidence to suggest that senior government officials are engaged in such activity.

C. National Goals, Bilateral Cooperation, and U.S. Policy Initiatives

A memorandum of understanding signed in 2008 between the United States and Brazil on

Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement established projects designed to enhance the capacity of Brazilian federal and state agencies to address illicit narcotics trafficking and provide drug demand reduction services. In 2013, the United States provided support to the DPF canine program and the DPF Special Investigation Units which produced tactical information used in counternarcotics operations. The United States also provided support to drug demand reduction non-governmental organizations working with addicts and the families of addicts nationwide, as well as community coalitions in São Paulo state designed to create drug free communities. Cooperation in both supply reduction and demand reduction has been positive, as evidenced by the results of Operations Agata, Trapézio, and Sentinela and the desire to expand the São Paulo community coalition project to additional states.

In cooperation with OAS-CICAD and international medical universities, the United States is also working with Brazil on the development of drug prevention and treatment protocols for children addicted to crack cocaine.

D. Conclusion

Brazil is committed to combating narcotics trafficking and addressing its burgeoning domestic drug consumption problem. It is increasingly engaging its neighbors, especially Peru, and would benefit from expanded cooperation with Bolivia and Colombia. In addition, using the newly enacted Law No.12.850 and increased undercover operations to directly confront its domestic drug trafficking organizations would clearly demonstrate government resolve to combat illegal drugs and promote the rule of law.

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Bulgaria

Bulgaria is strategically situated along the Balkan transit route for illegal drugs and other

contraband trafficked from Southwest Asia into Western Europe. Transnational drug trafficking organizations continue to traffic cocaine, heroin and synthetic drugs through Bulgaria into consumer countries in Western Europe. In 2013, drug trafficking organizations with ties to Africa have increasingly partnered with Bulgarian organized crime networks to transport cocaine and heroin into Europe from South America. Domestic production of illegal drugs is confined primarily to cannabis cultivation -- which is mainly for local consumption -- and synthetic drugs, which are manufactured at small laboratories for both personal use and local sales.

In 2013, Bulgaria’s General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) transferred from the Ministry of Interior to the State Agency for National Security. This institutional restructuring represented a significant shift in responsibility for counternarcotics enforcement, and led to several months of inactivity and generally slowed investigative work. Responsibility for investigating street drug distribution remains within the authority of local police, under the Ministry of Interior.

The Customs Agency, within the Finance Ministry, has authority to investigate drug trafficking along Bulgaria’s borders. In recent years, however, it has increasingly directed its resources towards taxable contraband (i.e. cigarettes) over narcotics. This resulted in relatively low amounts of heroin seized along Bulgaria’s borders in early 2013. However, in August, Turkish authorities captured over 700 kilograms (kg) of heroin bound for Bulgaria and in October, in a joint operation with GDBOP, Customs captured approximately 74 kg of heroin. Authorities also made several seizures of new psychoactive substances in 2013, including more than 80 kg in a van at the Danube Bridge border checkpoint of Ruse.

There has not been significant new research into drug addiction within Bulgaria. In 2012, the Bulgarian Institute for Addictions estimated that the country had approximately 300,000 drug addicts, a number that has not fluctuated much in recent years. Marijuana is the most widely

used drug, followed by synthetic drugs and heroin. Bulgarian law enforcement agencies continue to maintain close collaboration with the U.S. Drug

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Burma

A. Introduction

Burma continues to be a major source of opium and exporter of heroin, second only to

Afghanistan. Since the mid-1990s, Burma has also become a regional source for amphetamine- type stimulants (ATS). Production sites for heroin and methamphetamine are often co-located and are primarily situated along Burma’s eastern borders in areas controlled by ethnic armed groups beyond the Government of Burma’s immediate control. The 2013 joint Burma-UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) illicit crop survey reported that for the seventh straight year, opium poppy cultivation increased. UNODC estimated that the total area under opium poppy cultivation was 57,814 hectares (ha), an increase of 13 percent compared to 2012 (51,000 ha). Opium production is now at its highest level since 2003. In addition, UNODC estimated that during 2013 the potential production of opium increased by 26 percent to 870 metric tons (MT). Methamphetamine production in Burma is also a major concern. While there is no reliable methodology to estimate methamphetamine production, information derived from local and regional seizures indicates that methamphetamine production and trafficking is increasing. Former Secretary of State Clinton’s visit to Burma in December 2011 secured the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation between the United States and Burma, and in March 2013, the U.S. and Burmese governments completed the first joint opium yield survey since 2004.

The Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) continues to make efforts to enforce Burma’s narcotics laws. In 2013, the CCDAC was in the process of restructuring and expanding its counternarcotics task force, pledging to fight both drug production and drug use. Despite these efforts, police officers still lack adequate training and funding. In addition, the

Government of Burma faces the special challenge of having vast swaths of its territory, particularly in drug producing areas, controlled by non-state armed groups. Counternarcotics efforts are also hampered by extremely porous borders with India, China, Bangladesh, and Thailand that continue to be exploited by traffickers. The Government of Burma considers drug enforcement secondary to national stability and is willing to allow narcotics trafficking in border areas in exchange for cooperation from ethnic armed groups and militias. Furthermore, ongoing conflict with ethnic armed groups such as the Kachin Independence Army, Shan State Army- North, Shan State Army-South, and United Wa State Army extends the amount of territory beyond Burmese government control.

Burma is not currently a significant source or transit country for drugs entering the United States. However, Burma remains a major regional source of opium, heroin, and methamphetamine, particularly for neighboring Thailand, Laos and China. The overall level of drug abuse is low in Burma compared with neighboring countries, in part because most Burmese are too poor to support a drug habit.