|
|
|
U.S. Department of State
1996 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, March 1997
United States Department of State
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
ICELAND
I. Summary
Iceland is not a significant producer or transit site for illicit drugs.
Iceland's drug problem, while small relative to many countries, does have an
impact on the domestic population, especially the young. The Government of
Iceland (GOI) made little progress in 1996 to advance counternarcotics
initiatives, and there is growing concern that Iceland is becoming a transit
point for trafficking between Europe and the US. Iceland is expected to
ratify the 1988 UN Convention in 1997.
II. Status of Country
On a per capita basis, Iceland has a relatively small drug problem, but
narcotics use has grown steadily in the past few years. There is limited drug
trafficking but it seems to be on the rise. In most cases, however, addicts
purchase drugs abroad for their exclusive use, and do not sell them in the
domestic market. The most notable and alarming trend is the increase of drug
abuse among young teens, particularly of ecstasy (MDMA) and amphetamines.
The Ministry of Justice and police have begun re-evaluating laws, court
procedures, and punishment guidelines in an attempt to gain flexibility in
police counternarcotics efforts and to get stiffer sentencing. There is also
a growing focus on educational programs, and obtaining additional funding for
the narcotics police division.
While seizures of cocaine declined in 1996, there were record seizures of
hashish, ecstasy, and amphetamines. Seizures of ecstasy rose again
dramatically, although they remain well below the seizure levels of
amphetamines and hashish.
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1996
Policy Initiatives. While Iceland has not ratified the 1988 UN
Convention, it is expected that it will be ratified in 1997. Parliament has
discussed softening Iceland's tough anti-entrapment laws, which do not permit
the narcotics police to purchase drugs and then prosecute the sellers.
Discerning how drugs transit Iceland is a matter of police guesswork.
Iceland's narcotics police run a Joint Information Coordination Center (JICC)
charged with monitoring aircraft transiting Iceland and reporting the
information to the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC). The program has proven
ineffective to date in part because of inadequate cooperation between the
narcotics police and the customs service, inefficient, antiquated equipment
used by the JICC, and frequent delays in obtaining new equipment.
Agreements and Treaties. Iceland is a party to the 1961 Single
Convention, its 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic
Substances. The USG and GOI have an extradition treaty dating from 1902, and
a supplementary treaty signed in 1905. Iceland participates in the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF).
Law Enforcement Efforts. The narcotics police report the following drug
seizure data for 1996: 36.4 kgs of hashish, up from 10.9 kgs in 1995; 3.4 kgs
of marijuana, up from .30 kgs of marijuana in 1995; 6.1 kgs of amphetamines,
up from 5.1 kgs in 1995; .10 kgs of cocaine, down from .14 kgs in 1995; as in
1995 there was no confiscation of heroin; 5,587 units of prescription drugs
down, significantly from 47,644 in 1995; and 2,199 ecstasy pills. Ecstasy and
hashish are inexpensive. Authorities believe that residential production is
limited to some indoor growing of marijuana plants.
Money laundering is not in itself a crime in Iceland. In order to consider it
a crime, laundered money must be connected to some activity which violates
Icelandic law. Recent and current cases of money laundering in violation of
Icelandic laws do not involve drugs. There were no reports of assets seized
in 1996.
Corruption. The USG is not aware of reported cases of drug-related
corruption among public officials in Iceland.
Drug Flow/Transit. Some officials believe most illicit drugs transiting
Iceland are destined for larger Western European markets, while smaller
amounts of drugs are bound for the US. Icelandic authorities seize most
illicit drugs in small quantities from passengers on commercial airlines.
Cultivation/Production. Although authorities seized 116 cannabis seeds
and 1,020 cannabis plants during the year, the USG is not aware of any
reported cultivation or production of illicit drugs in Iceland.
Demand Reduction. The Ministries of Education and Health are responsible
for Iceland's counternarcotics educational programs. The chairman of an
Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Abuse has expressed interest in various US
demand reduction programs, especially the "Lion's Quest," a program sponsored
by Lions' Club International that attempts to bolster the self-esteem of
students. USIS works with GOI officials in developing drug abuse prevention
materials.
IV. US Policy Initiatives and Programs
Bilateral Cooperation. GOI and USG law enforcement cooperation is
excellent. USG counternarcotics efforts in Iceland have focused on
revitalizing a moribund JICC operation, particularly by encouraging the timely
sharing of information between narcotics police and customs authorities. The
narcotics police are interested in using information obtained from the El Paso
Intelligence Center to conduct searches of suspicious aircraft and work more
aggressively to interdict drug trafficking. In fact, in 1996, Icelandic
Customs officials for the first time took action based on information from
EPIC and searched a suspicious aircraft. While the search uncovered nothing
illegal, news that Customs officials are searching aircraft should have a
deterrent effect on those considering using Iceland as a transit point for
narcotics.
The Road Ahead. The USG will encourage the GOI to ratify the 1988 UN
Convention. In addition, the USG will share information, and work to try to
improve the performance of the JICC program to increase controls over
potential trafficking through Iceland.
|
