U.S. border are more relaxed than on the east coast of the United States, particularly when French passengers are involved. Canadian traffickers themselves also purchase sizable quantities of French heroin for distribution in Canada and/or resale to U.S. traffickers.
As for the French-Latin American connections, well-organized smuggling ringe in Latin America purchase large quantities of heroin from French traffickers and then arrange for its transport and sale in the United States. Many of the leaders of these Latin American groups are French Corsicans and Italians who have close ties with their coun- trymen in Europe. Some of these groups have been smuggling various types of contraband goods for many years and have addled heroin to their established smuggling trade.
French heroin is believed to enter Latin America primarily through Buenos Aires and Montevideo. From these points the heroin is distributed to the various smuggling groups who arrange for its transport to the United States. Much of this clandestine traffic passes through Panama, which has long served as a convenient refueling and transshipment point. Sizable quantities of French heroin have also been sent to the United States via Mexico, and recently the importance of this route may have increased.
Opium Production Areas
The Turkish ban on opium cultivation, which became effective following the 1971-72 harvest, has been implemented resolutely; and vigorous collection efforts last fall by the Turkish Government resulted in a sharply reduced level of opium diversions into illegal channels. However, some leakage is occurring from illegal stocks of opium and morphine base stored in Turkey and elsewhere. We are hopeful that such leakage can be minimized and that the Middle East will eventu- ally be eliminated as a source of illicit opium. To this end, the results of our cooperative efforts during the year with European and Western Hemisphere governments are encouraging. Seizures of opium, mor- phine, and heroin increased sharply. Notorious traffickers were arrested, extradited, and sentenced to prison. Five heroin laboratories in the Marseilles area were seized and shut down by the French authorities.
In Southeast Asia, the distribution of opium products is handled by large and well-organized trading networks. Supplies of opium for these networks come from hill people who grow it in the Golden Tri- angle, the triborder area of Burma, Laos, and Thailand. Annual pro- duction of opium in the area is estimated at about 700 tons. Of this, 400 tons is consumed by the hill people themselves and does not enter
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