Azerbaijan is transit country for narcotics and illegal substances
The transit of narcotics and other illegal substances through the territory of Azerbaijan remains a significant concern, as Azerbaijan is situated along major drug trafficking routes from Afghanistan and Iran to Europe and Russia. According to government data, the quantity of drugs seized by the authorities in Azerbaijan, as well as the number of reported crimes related to drugs, has increased over the last decade.
The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) is an annual report by the Department of State to Congress prepared in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act.
The importance of Azerbaijan for the transit of illegal substances through the Caucasus has grown considerably, in part due to the strengthening of border regimes in Turkey and Georgia. Meanwhile, the corresponding domestic usage of drugs in Azerbaijan remains relatively low. Societal influences limit drug usage in rural and urban areas alike, but reports indicate that the availability and use of narcotics in and around prisons is a concern. Few notable government-sponsored programs exist in Azerbaijan to aggressively address the drug use that does occur in the country; however, media reports indicate that new programs have demonstrated increased support for drug use prevention efforts.
The cultivation of illegal substances in Azerbaijan, such as cannabis and opium poppy, is not widespread, but it does occur, mostly for consumption in the former Soviet republics. Government authorities in Azerbaijan regularly identify and destroy significant amounts of illegally cultivated and wild narcotic producing plants within the territory of the country.