On July 15, 2026, the High-Level Regional Meeting “Enhancing Capacities to Prevent the Supply of Weapons to Terrorists in Central Asia” was held in Moscow, organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism with the participation of the Russian side.
On July 14, 2026, a working meeting was held at the CSTO Secretariat between CSTO Deputy Secretary General Valery Semerikov and UN Assistant Secretary-General Alexander Zuev.
From July 7 to 9, second staff talks were held in the Russian Federation on the organization and conduct of the CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) command-and-staff exercise “Interaction-2026”, the special reconnaissance exercise “Poisk-2026”, and the logistics support exercise “Echelon-2026”.
In accordance with the 2026 Action Plan of the Coordinating Council of Heads of the Competent Authorities for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the CSTO Member States, and as part of the Russian Federation's priorities during its 2026 CSTO Chairmanship, the sub-regional counter-narcotics operation “Kanal – Amber Coast” was conducted from June 29 to July 3, 2026. The operation was aimed at disrupting trafficking routes for narcotic drugs, their precursors and analogues, new psychoactive substances, and potent substances into the CSTO area of responsibility, neutralizing international transnational drug trafficking groups, dismantling clandestine drug production facilities, undermining the economic foundations of the drug trade, including the laundering of drug proceeds.
The 12th Southern Information Security Forum “Infoforum Sochi 2026” is taking place in Sochi, Russia, from June 30 to July 3. On July 1, the Forum's plenary session brought together representatives of federal and regional authorities, regulatory bodies, leading companies, and international organizations to discuss current challenges in the protection of critical infrastructure, the development of artificial intelligence, and international cooperation.
Preliminary results of the CSTO sub-regional counter-narcotics operation “Kanal – Amber Coast”
04.07.2026
In accordance with the 2026 Action Plan of the Coordinating Council of Heads of the Competent Authorities for Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the CSTO Member States, and as part of the Russian Federation's priorities during its 2026 CSTO Chairmanship, the sub-regional counter-narcotics operation “Kanal – Amber Coast” was conducted from June 29 to July 3, 2026. The operation was aimed at disrupting trafficking routes for narcotic drugs, their precursors and analogues, new psychoactive substances, and potent substances into the CSTO area of responsibility, neutralizing international transnational drug trafficking groups, dismantling clandestine drug production facilities, undermining the economic foundations of the drug trade, including the laundering of drug proceeds.
The operation involved law enforcement agencies, border and customs authorities, state security services, and financial intelligence units of the CSTO member states, as well as observers from China, Iran, Malaysia, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC), the Coordination Group of Heads of Competent Authorities for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (CGCA SCO), and the Council of Commanders of the Border Troops of the CIS.
The International Coordination Headquarters directing the operation was deployed in Kaliningrad, Russian Federation.
Approximately 39,000 personnel from the competent authorities participated in the operation.
According to preliminary information provided by the national competent authorities, coordinated efforts during the operation resulted in the seizure of more than 3.5 tonnes of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the CSTO member states, including 1,938 kg of opium, 519.2 kg of marijuana, 452.4 kg of hashish, 74.4 kg of mephedrone, 41.9 kg of α-PVP, and 182.6 kg of heroin. In addition, more than 2,441 kg of potent substances and over 1,096 kg of precursors were confiscated.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of more than 115,000 narcotic plants and 14,000 tablets containing prohibited substances.
Law enforcement authorities confiscated 24 firearms and approximately 680 rounds of ammunition of various calibres. A total of 521 drug-related crimes were identified, including 76 committed by organized groups and eight involving drug smuggling. Seven clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled. A total of 417 individuals were detained for drug-related offences, including 131 persons who had been on wanted lists. In addition, 1,376 internet websites used to distribute prohibited drug-related information were identified.
As part of the operation, financial monitoring and drug control services of the CSTO member states established operational cooperation, resulting in the identification of more than 2,000 suspicious financial transactions involving over 1,300 individuals suspected of participating in illicit drug trafficking. The total value of these transactions exceeded RUB 100 million, with most involving money transfers, cash deposits and withdrawals, the use of "drop" bank cards, and cryptocurrency transactions.
The competent authorities of the CSTO member states also carried out a number of international controlled deliveries. Several sophisticated drug smuggling routes were uncovered and disrupted, while seven cases involving the laundering of drug proceeds were documented.
The observer from Iran informed the members of the International Coordination Headquarters that large consignments of controlled substances had also been seized in Iran during the period of the CSTO operation.
On July 3, 2026, the preliminary results of the operation were reviewed at a meeting attended by Ivan Gorbunov, Head of the Main Directorate for Drug Control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia; Gennady Kazakevich, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus; Zafar Samad, Director of the Drug Control Agency of the Republic of Tajikistan; Yerlan Abdikenov, Acting Chairman of the Committee for Combating Drug Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Oleg Krylov, First Deputy Director of Rosfinmonitoring; and a representative of the CSTO Secretariat.
