DUSHANBE (Satrapia) — Rustam Nazarzoda, the director of Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency (DCA), is attending the 25^th Anti-Drug Liaison Officials’ Meeting for International Cooperation (ADLOMICO) that kicked off in Jeju, South Korea on Tuesday, the DCA press service said Wednesday. The conference, running until Thursday, is attended by the representatives of 27 countries and eight international organizations.

Speaking at the conference, Nazarzoda briefed on the current drug situation in Tajikistan and measures taken by the Tajik government to combat drug trafficking.

Ahead of the conference, Nazarzoda met with the Korean Supreme Public Prosecutor and director of Narcotics Division at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office. The sides discussed issues related to further expansion of bilateral cooperation in combating drug trafficking. Tajik DCA and Korean Supreme Public Prosecutor signed a memorandum of cooperation on combating drug trafficking and organized crime.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, there were 7,011 arrests for drug offences in 2011 which was a 7% drop from the previous year. The U.S., by way of comparison, in 2010 made more than 1.6 mln drug arrests, more than 36 times Korea’s figure, even after differences in population are accounted for.

Crystal Meth remains the most commonly used drug in South Korea, accounting for most drug related arrests. Other drugs that are well known are club drugs such as XTC. These continue to grow in popularity among college students. However, methamphetamine continues to be the drug of choice for Koreans.