A large quantity of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances confiscated by court decisions were destroyed on the territory of the Baku Oil Machinery Plant under the organization of the permanent Working Group of the State Commission for Combating Drug Addiction and Illegal Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs.
Medianews.az reports that according to official data, the total weight of the destroyed narcotics was 5 tons 155 kilograms. In addition, nearly 140 thousand pills and 13,367 cannabis plants were also burned and removed from circulation.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office, Supreme Court, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, State Customs Committee, State Security Service, State Border Service, TABIB and the Working Group of the State Commission. The destruction process was openly carried out in the presence of mass media representatives.
In total, 1,446 court rulings were issued concerning the destroyed narcotics. Among the substances confiscated according to these rulings, marijuana accounted for the largest share.
The list of narcotics destroyed by burning included 526 kilograms of heroin, 4 tons 135 kilograms of marijuana, 109 kilograms of opium, 164 kilograms of hashish, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 220 kilograms of various psychotropic substances, 140,620 various pills and psychotropic drugs, as well as 13,367 cannabis plants.
These figures show that as a result of operations carried out by law enforcement agencies in recent years, a serious blow has been dealt to the illegal circulation of narcotics in the country. It is reported that the total market value of the destroyed narcotics on the black market amounts to 147 million manats.
Experts believe that the release of such a volume of narcotic substances into circulation could have posed a serious threat to the lives of thousands of people, especially the health and future of young people. Revenues derived from drug trafficking often serve to finance transnational criminal networks.
Recent statistics show that a significant portion of drugs detected in Azerbaijan are attempted to be smuggled through the southern borders of the country. Regular operations are conducted by the State Border Service and other agencies, especially regarding narcotic trafficking originating from Iran.
Experts note that recently traffickers have been trying to use not only traditional methods but also unmanned aerial vehicles. This necessitates the application of new technological approaches in the fight against drug trafficking.
The permanent Working Group of the State Commission for Combating Drug Addiction and Illegal Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs has also announced the results of measures implemented from January to March 2026.
As a result of comprehensive operational-search measures by law enforcement agencies, during the reporting period, heavy blows have been dealt to drug networks and illegal circulation. A total of 2,443 criminal cases were detected by law enforcement agencies in the first three months of 2026.
Among these crimes, 549 were related to the illegal sale of narcotic drugs, 1,889 to illegal possession and acquisition, 4 to illegal cultivation of narcotic plants, and 1 to other crimes within this category.
A total of 1,044 persons were held accountable for these crimes, including 13 foreign nationals. More than 112 kilograms of narcotic substances were seized from the foreign nationals.
Among the detected crimes, 54 were committed in groups and 500 by previously convicted persons.
A total of 2 tons 896 kilograms 808.712 grams of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as 17 pills, were confiscated from illegal circulation. 85.5 percent of the seized narcotics were marijuana.
Analysis shows that 1 ton 949 kilograms 312.6 grams of this marijuana was foreign-origin and belonged to specially dangerous types enriched with psychotropic substances identified in laboratory conditions. The remaining 528 kilograms 340.64 grams were narcotic drugs cultivated illegally in greenhouses, basements, forest areas, and tea plantations within the country.
Compared to the same period in 2025, the total number of criminal cases increased by 118, the number of possession cases without sale intent increased by 251, and the weight of seized narcotics increased by 691 kilograms 798.93 grams.
However, positive trends were also observed in some directions. For example, the number of smuggling cases decreased by 14, group crimes by 2, illegal cultivation by 2, and other crimes by 1 case. The number of prosecuted persons decreased by 24 and the number of foreign nationals by 15.
In addition, compared to last year, the weight of other narcotics decreased by 69 percent, and psychotropic substances by 58.7 percent.
During the reporting period, large quantities of narcotics were destroyed by burning based on court and investigation rulings. On January 30, 2026, under the organization of the Working Group of the State Commission, 858 kilograms 620.899 grams of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, 22,139 pills, 1,056 ampoules, as well as 4,745 pills and 240 packs of potent substances were burned and destroyed based on 25 court and investigative decisions.
At the regional level, joint commissions organized destructions according to 380 court rulings in 8 districts and cities, removing from circulation a total of 6 kilograms 574.623 grams of narcotic drugs and 19 potent pills.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs directed 21,944 persons to the Republic Narcology Center of the Ministry of Health for determination of all types of intoxication. Among them, among 1,527 people medically examined for narcotic drug use, 736 were confirmed users and necessary measures were taken.
Currently, a total of 698 patients are receiving treatment under the methadone substitution therapy program: 276 at the Republic Narcology Center, 297 at the AIDS Control Center, and 125 at the Sumgayit Narcology Center.
According to the Republic AIDS Control Center, a decrease is observed in the number of new HIV infections among drug addicts in the country. By the end of March 2026, among Azerbaijani citizens diagnosed with HIV, 15 persons or 4.2 percent were injection drug users.
During the quarter, the "802" hotline received 183 appeals from citizens. Of these, 16 concerned illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, 16 related to drug addiction treatment, and 151 involved other issues such as repeated appeals, explanations of legislation, compulsory treatment procedures, etc.
To take appropriate measures on these appeals, 32 letters were sent to the relevant authorities.
Through the hotline, operative coordination was ensured, criminal cases were initiated based on the received information, large quantities of narcotics were withdrawn from circulation, drug users were referred to specialized medical institutions on a voluntary basis, and psychological and legal support was provided to families.
In parallel, to strengthen public awareness, 24 educational and organizational events and 15 educational social campaigns, a total of 39 events, were conducted under the organization of the State Commission’s Working Group and with the participation of relevant state bodies. (Musavat.com)