This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

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Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Part of UK in Ukraine

11th October 2010

Why Odesa drug busts are good news

Why are three huge drug hauls great news for Ukrainein general and Odesa in particular?  Because they show how practical law enforcement cooperation between Ukrainian and foreign agencies can bring real results.

I recently visited Odesa and had useful talks with Governor Matviychuk and Mayor Hurvits about how to improve the business climate and generate investment opportunities.  I also met representatives of the British community (excellent bunch) and enjoyed a fascinating visit to the Odesa National Law Academy, where I met Sergey Kivalov, President of the Academy, talked with students, and visited the British Council, which is housed at the Academy.  Here are news reports of my meeting with the Mayor and my interview after meeting the Governor (video).

My visit came shortly after three huge seizures of drugs being smuggled through the port of Odesa in June and July.  One of the seizures was of 1,192 kilos of cocaine; another was over 582 kilos.  These were the largest seizures of cocaine ever in Ukraine and the largest in Europe for many years.  A report from the Ukrainian Security Service, the SBU, is here. You can see some fine pictures from the Ukrainian State Customs site showing the drugs being extracted from their hiding places here.  Congratulations to all concerned.  The details are relevant because such seizures can only come about through strong cooperation between he Ukrainian law enforcement community and their colleagues in other countries, including SOCA (the Serious Organised Crime Agency) in the UK.  Effective action against drug smuggling not only shows Ukrainian authorities cooperating effectively with their international counterparts; it is shows, potentially, progress in tackling corruption, since smugglers often pay bribes to ensure trouble-free passage of their wares.  So let us hope that these welcome seizures are part of a wider trend to tackle corruption and improve the business climate more generally both in Odesa and in the rest of Ukraine.

PS: Odesa remains one of my favourite Ukrainian cities.  You can see why in my blog from a private visit there last year.

About Leigh Turner

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of…

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of the UN and other organisations; stories here will reflect that.

About me: I arrived in Vienna in August 2016 for my second posting in this wonderful city, having first served here in the mid-1980s. My previous job was as HM Consul-General and Director-General for Trade and Investment for Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus based in Istanbul.

Further back: I grew up in Nigeria, Exeter, Lesotho, Swaziland and Manchester before attending Cambridge University 1976-79. I worked in several government departments before joining the Foreign Office in 1983.

Keen to go to Africa and South America, I’ve had postings in Vienna (twice), Moscow, Bonn, Berlin, Kyiv and Istanbul, plus jobs in London ranging from the EU Budget to the British Overseas Territories.

2002-6 I was lucky enough to spend four years in Berlin running the house, looking after the children (born 1992 and 1994) and doing some writing and journalism.

To return to Vienna as ambassador is a privilege and a pleasure. I hope this blog reflects that.

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