Russia, US to conduct major operation against drug mafia

Russian and U.S. anti-drug services in the near future plan to strike a major blow to the international drug mafia, Chairman of the State Anti-Narcotics Committee, Director of the Russian Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) Viktor Ivanov said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass On Thursday evening. “Aspects of the joint operation were discussed in Miami during a session of the Counternarcotics Working Group of the U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission,” he said. The operation details were not disclosed. The head of Russia’s Drug Control Service expressed confidence that the forthcoming operation would cause “a lot of trouble to those involved in drug trafficking.” “The Russian and American participants in the meeting stated that we had reached a new level of cooperation,” Viktor Ivanov said. “This level is characterised by a high degree of confidence. There is a constant exchange of sensitive information that allows us to plan and conduct devastating operations against drug traffickers.” Operational cooperation in the fight against drugs is only one of the activities of the working group. Its other important tasks are the organisation at the state level of effective help to drug addicts and working out of recommendations for the improvement of national anti-drug legislation for the top power structures. The Counternarcotics Working Group of the U.S.-Russian Bilateral Presidential Commission was established four years ago. Its meetings are held twice a year, alternately in Russia and the United States. Its ninth session has been held in Miami.