The director of Russia's Federal Drug Control Service says the use of Afghan heroin has killed at least 500,000 Russian citizens in the past 13 years.
Viktor Ivanov made the comment at an international antidrug conference in Moscow on May 15.
He said there had been more than 1 million deaths in the whole of Eurasia caused by the use of Afghan heroin since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.
Ivanov said the "intense transit" of drug products from Afghanistan is estimated at some $100 billion a year, contributing to instability and violence in the region.
Afghan heroin is routinely smuggled into Russia through Central Asia.
Ivanov has repeatedly criticized NATO and the United States for not doing enough to fight drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
Viktor Ivanov made the comment at an international antidrug conference in Moscow on May 15.
He said there had been more than 1 million deaths in the whole of Eurasia caused by the use of Afghan heroin since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.
Ivanov said the "intense transit" of drug products from Afghanistan is estimated at some $100 billion a year, contributing to instability and violence in the region.
Afghan heroin is routinely smuggled into Russia through Central Asia.
Ivanov has repeatedly criticized NATO and the United States for not doing enough to fight drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
