At a press conference held today Chief Hunan Poghosyan, of the Police Department's Organized Anti-Crime Task Force, stated that during the last ten months of this year there were 614 drug-related crimes reported. In all 362 indiividuals were charged with criminal activity in this sector. Chief Poghosyan noted that, "207 of the ciited cases involved the sale of drugs which constitute a much greater threat." During last year the number of such crimes totaled 1,084 cases and that 537 individuals were charged. Chief Poghosyan noted thatthe drop can be partially explained by the fact that as of June, 2008, drug usage was decriminalized and that drug users now are sentenced according to the laws of the administrative statutes.