WASHINGTON, March 7 (Hina) - Croatia is actively combating drug trafficking and money laundering, the U.S. State Department says in its report on drug trafficking and money laundering in 2003, adding that to reinforce the battle
Croatia needs to continue training its institutions and reinforce legislation referring to the confiscation of property acquired through crime.
WASHINGTON, March 7 (Hina) - Croatia is actively combating drug
trafficking and money laundering, the U.S. State Department says in
its report on drug trafficking and money laundering in 2003, adding
that to reinforce the battle Croatia needs to continue training its
institutions and reinforce legislation referring to the confiscation
of property acquired through crime.#L#
Croatia does not manufacture narcotics but drug smuggling, notably
heroin, for Western Europe via the so-called Balkan route continues to
cause serious concern, reads the report which covers more than 140
countries.
Croatia is part of the "Balkan route" which, United States authorities
maintain, brings up to 80 percent of heroin from Asia to Western
Europe.
The reports says combating drug trafficking is one of the top
priorities of Croatia's State Prosecutor's Office and its Office for
the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK), but notes
that USKOK was slow in forming fast action teams and that the first
investigations with resulted in arrests were carried out only in the
second half of 2003.
Speaking of last year's major successes the Croatian police had in
battling drug trafficking, the State Department notes the seizure of
336 kg of cocaine in the seaport of Rovinj in September and of two
cars with 74 kg of heroin at a border crossing with Serbia in
November.
The main objective of the U.S. is to help Croatia strengthen the
ability of its police and other institutions to prevent crime, drug
trafficking and money laundering, and to have it cooperate in this
with the U.S. and the countries in the region.
Last year saw the completion of a three-year programme of U.S.
assistance to the legislative reform and police training aimed at
battling money laundering and organised crime and at witness
protection. Assistance will continue this year with a view to
improving the cooperation between the police and the State
Prosecutor's Office, the report says, adding that it will be directed
at strengthening the control of exports and borders so as to fight
drug trafficking and organised crime.
According to the report, Croatia is not a money laundering centre and
in most cases money laundering is connected with financial crime, such
as tax evasion and privatisation and business fraud. Recently there
has been an increase of cases of money made with the trafficking of
drugs via the "Balkan route" being invested in real estate and
luxurious goods, the report says.
It also notes that there have been few arrests and only one conviction
and property seizure for money laundering. The main reasons for that
are the poor cooperation among ministries, the insufficient technical
qualifications of the police and State Prosecutor's Office, lack of
knowledge as to what constitutes the criminal act of money laundering,
and numerous pending cases, reads the report.
The State Department says Croatia needs to reinforce legislation
referring to the confiscation of property acquired through crime.
The report highlights Croatia's bids to prevent transborder smuggling
and money laundering with Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is a major problem
owing to the long border between the two countries and the numerous
holes in Bosnia's legislation.
(Hina) ha sb