TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 52

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It is estimated that approximately 23,500 acres were planted in opium poppy, that about 9,000 acres were destroyed, and that the yield for the 1986-87 crop was approximately 124 metric tons of opium, as compared with an estimated yield of 140-160 metric tons for the 1985-86 crop. This yield is within the range projected in March.

The campaign waged by the GOP to destroy opium poppy gives ample evidence of the GOP commitment

the GOP commitment to eradication. The GOP is currently committed to destroy any opium poppy fields found in Pakistan except in certain specified tribal areas of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP). We anticipate that the GOP will progressively extend the opium ban to cover those areas also. Probably 80 to 90 percent of the fields were destroyed in those areas in which enforcement took place.

The highlights of this growing season's opium poppy field reduction/destruction program were:

The extensive GOP and non-government organizations (NGO) media, and town hall meetings anti-narcotics campaign; and,

The policy decision to use aerial spraying techniques to destroy poppy. Although the aerial technique was used to destroy only 1300 acres out of a total of 7,700 acres destroyed, the threat of aerial spraying contributed to the GOP's ability to overcome open physical confrontation when manual destruction was undertaken.

The Prime Minister and Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) Chief Minister met in July and

in July and issued a joint statement that opium poppy was not to be grown. Planning for the 1987/88 enforcement campaign has started at both federal and provincial governmental levels.

A

new

Interdiction efforts continue to expand. organization, the Maritime Security Agency, has been tasked with narcotics interdiction. A special training course in maritime interdiction was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard. This training was funded entirely by INM.

Both the PNCB and Pakistani Customs have received this year's budgetary approval to expand their special drug enforcement groups (cells).

(cells). The Pakistani Customs is in the process of developing special Contraband Enforcement Teams (CET) modeled after U.S. Customs CETS.

Customs CETS. Training, provided by U.S. Customs, is funded by INM from country budget monies.