How deep is the Russian government’s involvement in drug trafficking?
Drug trafficking is a global problem that affects millions of lives and undermines the rule of law, human rights, and public health. While many countries have taken steps to combat this scourge, some governments have been accused of being part of the problem rather than the solution. One of the most notorious cases of alleged government involvement in drug trafficking is that of Russia, which has been the subject of various investigations and reports over the years. In this blog post, we will explore some of the main allegations and evidence that have been presented by different sources, and try to assess how deep and widespread the Russian government’s involvement in drug trafficking is.
The Putin-Ivanov-Kumarin ring
One of the most explosive allegations against the Russian government came from a report compiled by ex-KGB officers Yuri Shvets and Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, shortly before Litvinenko was poisoned with polonium-210 in London. The report, which was based on interviews with former Russian intelligence and law enforcement officials, claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin and his long-time ally Victor Ivanov, who was then head of Russia’s narcotics agency, were implicated in helping run a drug smuggling and money laundering ring in St Petersburg in the 1990s.
According to the report, Putin and Ivanov cooperated with gangsters from the Tambovskaya criminal group, such as Vladimir Kumarin-Barsukov, who was later convicted of money laundering. The report alleged that Putin used his position in the St Petersburg mayor’s office to protect Ivanov from prosecution, and that Ivanov’s branch of the FSB was involved in systemic organized corruption. The report also claimed that Putin and Ivanov were involved in facilitating the transit of heroin from Afghanistan through Russia to Europe, and that they received kickbacks from the drug trade.
The report was dismissed by the Kremlin as a fabrication and a provocation, and its authors were accused of being traitors and agents of foreign powers. However, some of the allegations were corroborated by other sources, such as former FSB officer Mikhail Trepashkin, who testified that he had seen documents linking Putin and Ivanov to Kumarin-Barsukov. Moreover, some analysts pointed out that Ivanov’s appointment as head of Russia’s narcotics agency in 2008 was a sign of Putin’s attempt to cover up his past involvement in drug trafficking.
The North Korean forced labor scheme
Another source of controversy regarding the Russian government’s involvement in drug trafficking is its alleged complicity in the exploitation of North Korean workers. According to the 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State, Russia remained on Tier 3, the lowest ranking, for its failure to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and its lack of significant efforts to do so. The report stated that there was a government policy or pattern of trafficking, and that the government was actively complicit in the forced labor of North Korean workers.
The report accused the government of issuing tourist and student visas to North Koreans in an apparent attempt to circumvent the UN Security Council resolutions that required the repatriation of North Korean workers by December 2019. The report also alleged that some Russian officials facilitated or profited from the exploitation of North Korean workers, who were subjected to harsh working conditions, long hours, low wages, and constant surveillance. The report estimated that there were between 5,000 and 10,000 North Korean workers in Russia as of 2020.
The report also suggested that some of the North Korean workers were involved in illicit activities such as drug production and trafficking. According to a 2019 investigation by Radio Free Asia, some North Korean workers were forced to produce methamphetamine at a secret factory near Vladivostok. The investigation claimed that the drugs were smuggled into China and Japan by North Korean diplomats and agents, who used their diplomatic immunity to avoid detection. The investigation also alleged that some Russian officials were aware of or involved in this scheme.
The Russian government denied any wrongdoing and accused the U.S. of politicizing the issue of human trafficking. The government also claimed that it had complied with the UN resolutions and repatriated all North Korean workers by January 2020. However, some human rights activists and experts disputed this claim and argued that some North Korean workers remained in Russia under different visa categories or without any legal status .
The domestic drug market
Apart from its alleged involvement in international drug trafficking, the Russian government also faces challenges in addressing its own domestic drug market, which is one of the largest and most deadly in the world. According to a 2014 report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), Russia had an estimated 8.5 million drug users and 100,000 drug-related deaths annually. The report also noted that Russia was a major consumer and transit country for heroin from Afghanistan, as well as a producer and exporter of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and krokodil.
The report praised some of the efforts made by the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia (FSKN), such as conducting joint operations with other countries and seizing large quantities of drugs. However, the report also urged the government to adopt a more balanced and evidence-based approach to drug policy, and to improve its prevention and treatment services. The report criticized the government for its harsh and punitive measures against drug users, such as criminalizing drug possession, denying opioid substitution therapy, and restricting access to harm reduction programs. The report also expressed concern about the corruption and abuse of power by some law enforcement officials, who reportedly extorted money from drug users, planted drugs on innocent people, or sold confiscated drugs on the black market.
The Russian government rejected some of the recommendations of the INCB report and defended its anti-drug strategy as effective and sovereign. The government also accused some Western countries and NGOs of promoting a liberal and permissive attitude towards drugs, and of interfering in Russia’s internal affairs. In 2016, the government abolished the FSKN and transferred its functions to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which some observers saw as a sign of weakening its commitment to fighting drug trafficking.
