2006年VOA标准英语-UN Warns of Rapid Rise in Drug Smuggling b

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
01 March 2006

A United Nations international drug report says the world is facing an increase in the smuggling¹ of both illegal and legal drugs through the international mail system. The report also says abuse of prescription² drugs in North America now rivals the abuse of such narcotics⁴ as heroin⁵.

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The International Narcotics Control Board annual report warns that the smuggling of illicit⁶ and legal drugs by mail has become a major threat to law enforcement. The INCB called for greater screening of the mails - including mail sent by international courier.

The report estimated that the smuggling of legal drugs - especially tranquilizers ordered through the Internet and forwarded by mail - is worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Akira Fujino, the U.N. Office for Drugs and Crime representative in Asia, says the smuggling of illegal drugs is also growing.

"According to the board, almost all regions of the world have experienced an increase in the smuggling of drugs, both narcotic³ drugs and psychotropic substances - particularly psychotropic substances - and seizures⁷ are increasing," said Fujino.

The report says that in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the non-medical use of prescription drugs - such as the painkiller⁸ Oxycontin - rivals the abuse of all other drugs. It says Mexicans are abusing such drugs nearly as frequently as they abuse cocaine⁹.

The report expressed alarm over the illicit manufacture of methamphetamines in many parts of the world, including North America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Oceania, and especially Southeast Asia.

Mike Chapman, acting¹⁰ regional director for East Asia of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said a raid of a mega-laboratory near Jakarta last November uncovered 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, and the lab had a capacity of 10,000 kilograms. He said Southeast Asia is a major production point for the drug.

"Its astronomical¹¹, the amount of methamphetamine that is being produced in this region," said Chapman.

The INCB recommended a rethink of alternative development projects being used to control drugs. It said that while crop substitution programs in Burma and Laos had succeeded in reducing the output of opium¹², for example, such programs had done little to promote development and reduce poverty in those regions.

1 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

2 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

3 narcotic   

n.麻醉药，镇静剂；adj.麻醉的，催眠的

参考例句：

• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。
• No medical worker is allowed to prescribe any narcotic drug for herself.医务人员不得为自己开处方使用麻醉药品。

4 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

6 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

7 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

8 painkiller   

n.止痛药

参考例句：

• I shall persuade him to take the painkiller.我将说服他把药吃下去。
• The painkiller only provides him a short respite from his pain.止痛药仅仅让他在疼痛中有短暂的疏解。

9 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

12 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。