Afghanistan seeks Russian help in anti-drug efforts

MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti) - Afghan Vice President Karim Khalili asked Russia on Wednesday to help the country counter drug production and trafficking.

"The fight against the Afghan drug mafia requires international efforts. I am appealing to the international and regional community, in particular to the Russian Federation, to provide assistance in fighting this evil," Khalili told a Russian government working group on anti-drug measures.

The head of Russia's Federal Drug Control Service told the meeting that Russia would provide maximum assistance in counter-drug efforts.

Viktor Ivanov said Russia would, in particular, supply intelligence to the U.S. and NATO on regional drug cartels.

The official earlier said about 180 Afghan drug cartels are currently engaged in heroin trafficking to Russia, and that illegal drug production in the country has risen more by than 40 times since 2001.

Russia has seized almost twice as much Afghan-made heroin and hashish since the start of 2009 than in the same period of last year.

Ivanov said international drug trafficking cartels have turned Afghanistan into a drug farm dominating global supplies of heroin, now accounting for 94% of the world's illegal opiates.

Deaths related to Afghan heroin abuse in Russia are estimated at 30,000 per year.