More than 15 tons of wild cannabis was destroyed on 24 July 2015 in the Ak-Suu district of the Issyk-Kul province by Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies. In total, more than 72 tons of cannabis has been destroyed in the Ak-Suu and Tyup districts of the Issyk-Kul province since the beginning of the year. However, it is only a small part out of the 550 hectares of wild cannabis which grows in the province.
A joint operation, "Poppy 2015", was conducted by the State Service on Drug Control under the Government of Kyrgyzstan (SSDC) and supported by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. Representatives of the UNODC, SSDC, and other law enforcement agencies, representatives of the judiciary system, as well as local authorities and the mass media took part in the operation. INL Country Director Ms. Joye Davis-Kirchner took part in the event as well.
Mr. Rafik Mambetaliev, Chairperson of the SSDC noted that the big areas of wild cannabis, which is growing in Kyrgyzstan, requires coordinated efforts by the main national counterparts including the local governors, the general population with the support of international organizations.
