site.bta Campaign Teaches Pupils about Importance of Being Drug Free

Campaign Teaches Pupils about Importance of Being Drug Free

Sofia, October 23 (BTA) - One hundred pupils in Sofia schools
joined this year's installment of the Red Ribbon campaign aimed
to expose young people to the importance of being drug free. The
campaign proceeded under the motto "Proud to Be Drug Free," the
Customs Agency reported on Thursday.

For the fifth straight year, the Bulgarian customs authority and
the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) co-organized the
Red Ribbon Week in Bulgaria. The campaign first began after the
kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki"
Camarena in 1985.

US Ambassador to Bulgaria Marcie Ries greeted the pupils and
told them about the life and death of agent Camarena. Sofia
Airport Customs officers spoke about the dangers of drug abuse,
dispelling myths about the alleged harmlessness of some narcotic
substances and highlighting the often unsuspected and even
lethal effects of using synthetic drugs, particularly synthetic
cannabis.

The last four years have witnessed the spread of
amphetamine-like synthetic drugs distributed via the Internet.
There are 450 narcotic substances in the world, over 300 of
which are amphetamine-like compounds, said Stefan Bakalov of
Sofia Airport Customs.

Bakalov said that last year the Sofia Airport authorities seized
over 130 kg of drugs in 58 cases of attempted trafficking, and
90 per cent of the total amount were amphetamine-like
substances. In this way, 1.3 million drug doses were kept from
reaching Bulgaria's children. Just days ago, Sofia Airport
officers intercepted an amphetamine-type substance which had
been unknown to the world.

Enforcers demonstrated an operation in which drugs are
discovered on passengers or in luggage using detector dogs and
showcased a raid on drug traffickers.