ULAN BATOR, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia saw a rise in drug-related crimes in 2024, with the total number of registered cases increasing by 13 percent compared to the previous year, local media reported on Monday, citing the country's State General Prosecutor's Office.

The Asian nation, with a population of 3.5 million, documented 405 drug-related crimes last year, according to the prosecutor's office.

The majority of the 228 individuals involved in these cases were young adults aged 18 to 30, making up 69.4 percent. In terms of gender, 86 percent of those implicated were male, and 63.6 percent of offenders were reported as unemployed.

The country's National Police Agency attributed the rise in drug-related crimes to factors including lack of public knowledge about drugs, curiosity, attempts to make easy money and weak law enforcement.

Under Mongolian law, individuals convicted of drug trafficking face a minimum prison sentence of two years.

The rising prevalence of drug-related offenses highlights the urgent need for enhanced preventive measures, public awareness campaigns, and law enforcement efforts to tackle the issue and safeguard vulnerable groups, particularly unemployed youth. Enditem

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