MOSCOW, May 14 (RIA Novosti) – The drug control agencies of Russia and the United States will continue their joint efforts, Russia’s anti-narcotics chief said Wednesday.
“I am not offended by the US, and my employees cooperate with those of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the United States. Unfortunately, productive cooperation at the White House administration level has been closed, but at the drug control organs we continue to work together,” said Viktor Ivanov, Head of the Federal Drug Control Service.
The Federal Drug Control Service is conducting special operations in Russia’s newest region of Crimea, formerly a Ukrainian autonomous republic, and Russia is preparing for operations in Afghanistan which could involve the US, Ivanov added.
Ivanov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was put on the list of people hit with US travel bans in late March. He dismissed the move, saying it destroys the unique experience of professional police cooperation, which has nothing to do with politics.
Ivanov said last month Russia and NATO would continue joint efforts in the fight against narcotics trafficking despite sanctions imposed on Russian officials amid the Ukrainian crisis.
The United States and the European Union earlier imposed targeted economic sanctions on a number of Russian politicians, businessmen and companies after Crimea’s reunification with Russia following a March referendum.
The US is considering the possibility of introducing considerably more sanctions targeting entire sectors of the Russian economy.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the language of sanctions is “inappropriate and counterproductive” and warned the Western partners about the “boomerang effect” that sanctions would have.
