Translated with AI
Member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have summarized the preliminary results of the subregional anti-drug operation "Channel – Yantarny Bereg." During the operation, more than 3.5 tons of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were seized from illicit circulation, the CSTO press service reported.
The operation took place from June 29 to July 3, 2026, in accordance with the Plan of the main activities of the Coordinating Council of the Heads of Competent Authorities for Combating Illegal Drug Trafficking of the Organization's Member States for 2026.
The operation was carried out as part of the implementation of the priorities of the Russian Federation's chairmanship of the CSTO in 2026. Its goal was to disrupt the smuggling of drugs, their precursors and analogues, and new psychoactive and potent substances into the CSTO region of responsibility.
In addition, the operation's participants were engaged in neutralizing international transnational drug trafficking groups, eliminating underground drug production, and undermining the economic foundations of the drug trade, including preventing the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug trafficking.
Law enforcement agencies, border and customs authorities, state security services and financial intelligence units of the CSTO member states took part in the operation.
Representatives from China, Iran, and Malaysia, as well as the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism, the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre, the Coordination Group for Combating Crime in Transport of the Council of Heads of Transport Structures, and the Coordination Service of the Council of Commanders of the CIS Border Troops, participated in the events as observers.
An international coordination headquarters for managing the operation was deployed in Kaliningrad in the Russian Federation.
In total, approximately 39,000 employees of the competent authorities were involved in the operation.
According to preliminary information from authorized national bodies, as a result of coordinated actions in the territory of CSTO member states, over 3.5 tons of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were seized from illegal circulation.
In particular, 1 ton 938 kg of opium, 519.2 kg of marijuana, 452.4 kg of hashish, 74.4 kg of mephedrone, 41.9 kg of α-PVP and 182.6 kg of heroin were seized.
In addition, law enforcement agencies seized more than 2 tons 441 kg of potent substances and over 1 ton 96 kg of precursors.
More than 115,000 bushes of narcotic plants and 14,000 tablets of prohibited substances were also discovered and seized.
During the operation, law enforcement agencies seized 24 firearms and approximately 680 rounds of ammunition of various calibers.
A total of 521 drug-related crimes were identified. Of these, 76 were committed in groups, and another eight were related to smuggling.
The operation participants liquidated seven drug laboratories.
417 people were arrested for drug-related crimes, 131 of whom were wanted.
In addition, 1,376 websites were identified through which prohibited drug-related information was distributed.
As part of the implementation of the operation's plan, operational interaction was organized between financial monitoring services and drug control agencies of the CSTO member states.
As a result of this work, over 2,000 suspicious financial transactions were identified involving more than 1,300 individuals suspected of being involved in drug trafficking.
The total value of the identified financial transactions exceeds 100 million rubles. Most of them involved the transfer of funds, cash deposits and withdrawals, the use of bank cards issued to front men (so-called "drop" cards), and cryptocurrency transactions.
The competent authorities of the CSTO member states carried out a number of international controlled deliveries.
During the operation, several complex smuggling channels for controlled drug compounds were identified and disrupted. Seven cases of drug trafficking profit laundering were also documented.
An observer from Iran informed members of the International Coordination Headquarters about the seizure of large quantities of controlled drugs in the country during the CSTO-format operation.
Preliminary results of the operation were summed up on July 3, 2026.
The event was attended by I.V. Gorbunov, Head of the Main Directorate for Drug Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia; G.A. Kazakevich, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus; Z.T. Samad, Director of the Drug Control Agency of Tajikistan; E.A. Abdikenov, Acting Chairman of the Committee for Combating Drug-Related Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan; O.V. Krylov, First Deputy Director of Rosfinmonitoring; and a representative of the CSTO Secretariat.
