US State Department: Serbia is transit country for narcotics

WASHINGTON - The US State Department has said in it latest report on the international strategy against narcotics that Serbia is not among the large producers or consumers of narcotics, but a transit country in narcotics trafficking.

As part of the Balkan corridor to Europe, the drugs that are smuggled through Serbia the most are heroin from Afghanistan, canabis and cocaine from South America, the report says.

The State Department commended the Serbian authorities' commitment to regional and international cooperation, but added that Serbia does not have a government body that would coordinate anti-narcotics efforts by various agencies.

Limited resources are also slowing down a more centralized and stronger response, the report says.

When it comes to its policies, the Serbian government does not facilitate illegal production and distribution of narcotics of laundering of the money gained through illegal transactions. High-ranking government officials do not encourage or facilitate the illegal production or trade in narcotics, according to the report.

The State Department, however, stated that corruption was still a serious problem.

Image courtesy of Customs Administrations (Archive, illustration)