UNITED NATIONS, LITHUANIA DISCUSS COOPERATION AGAINST DRUGS, CRIME

UNITED NATIONS, LITHUANIA DISCUSS COOPERATION AGAINST DRUGS, CRIME

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 21 May (UN Information Service) –- The Lithuanian Minister of Internal Affairs, Virgilijus Bulovas, met with Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in Vienna today.  They discussed the need for an increased regional cooperation in combating organized crime, particularly trafficking in drugs and human beings.

Lithuania, like other countries in Europe, is affected by the increase in drug trafficking, especially of heroin coming from Afghanistan.  This has resulted in increased drug abuse and spread of HIV/AIDS due to injecting heroin abuse.  Trafficking in human beings is another issue of major concern for Lithuania; it is a country of origin, transit and destination for sex workers.

Mr. Costa and Mr. Bulovas agreed that future cooperation between the UNODC and Lithuania would include drug-abuse monitoring in the region, drug treatment and HIV/AIDS prevention, and strengthening of the regional law enforcement.

For further information, please contact the UN Information Service Vienna, tel.:  (+43-1) 26060 4666, fax:  (+43-1) 26060 5899, e-mail:  UNIS@unvienna.org.

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