US and Russia to carry out drug raids in Georgia?

Will raids be carried out next on the black sea coast of Georgia - where drugs for weapons swaps are so common?

Russia and US collaborate in Afghanistan drug raid

Russian and US agents have taken part in a joint operation to destroy drug laboratories in Afghanistan, the head of Russia's drug control agency says.

More than a tonne of heroin and opium was seized during the raids, which took place on Thursday close to the border with Pakistan, Viktor Ivanov announced.

Mr Ivanov said the haul had a street value of $250m (£157m) and was believed to have been destined for Central Asia.

Correspondents say it is the first time there has been such a joint operation.

Russian officials have in the past accused coalition forces in Afghanistan of doing "next to nothing" to tackle drug production, and thereby helping to sustain the estimated 2.5 million heroin addicts in Russia alone.

Much of the heroin enters the territory of the former Soviet Union through Afghanistan's northern borders with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

It then travels westwards across Kazakhstan, before entering the central and Ural regions of Russia, where there are large numbers of addicts. 

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Nb it is interesting to note that no mention is made here of the transit route via Kyrgyzstan to Georgia and Azerbaijan via various mechanisms, and then to Turkey and other points, including Southern Russia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11651469

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