Baltic countries stepping up fight against drug crimes

TALLINN – The chief prosecutors of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania agreed in their meeting in Haapsalu on Tuesday that the three countries will enhance cooperation in the fight against drug related and organized crime.

Andres Parmas, the prosecutor general of Estonia, said the number of overdose deaths has been rising sharply in recent years.

"Unfortunately, statistics for this year also shows that we are very likely to have a higher number of deaths by the end of the year than last year. The distribution of hard drugs is done by cross-border organized crime, which is why we need to focus even more attention on this with our Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts," said Parmas.

He noted that dangerous substances have become accessible to more and more young people, because ordering a substance on a dark web forum or in a group chat is relatively easy and does not require special knowledge, and the merchandise can arrive even in less than a day.

"However, it is not as easy to use these substances, as even the slightest miscalculation can mean that the dose will be the last for that person. This is why prosecutors specialized in the fight against drug related crime will soon meet in Latvia in a round table to work together to find solutions to procedural bottlenecks," Parmas said.

In addition, the meeting in the northwestern Estonian sea resort of Haapsalu discussed ways to enhance cooperation in catching Lithuanian car thieves and compared the practices of recruitment of prosecutors, change management and communication.