Russia deputies urge NATO, UN to stem Afghan drugs

Russia deputies urge NATO, UN to stem Afghan drugs

Associated Press

Russian lawmakers have urged NATO and the United Nations to step up efforts to stem a tide of drugs from Afghanistan.
Russian parliament's lower house passed a statement Wednesday urging Afghan authorities, NATO and U.N. members to take stronger action to combat drug production and trafficking.

Russian drug control agency chief Viktor Ivanov told lawmakers that a "heroin tsunami" from Afghanistan poses a major threat to Russia.

Afghanistan is the world's largest opium producer, and most of Afghan heroin gets to Russia through ex-Soviet Central Asia nations.

Russia's parliament called for an international plan to help coordinate efforts to combat Afghan drugs and urged NATO forces in Afghanistan to uproot drug production.