Oct 15, 2015 its about drugs, says the former drug enforcement agency dea attache to afghanistan. Nov 21, 2017 afghan heroin is not fueling the deadly u. Drug trafficking and the 2014 transition congressional research service 3 drugs in afghanistan. Irans widespread use of the death penalty for drug trafficking did little to deter smuggling, especially as the afghan smugglers also faced. Mcchrystal, but he would be welladvised to add to his bedside.
The revenues from the drug trade permeate all factions involved in the conflict. Desperate for cash with which to buy weapons, various elements in. Nov 17, 2012 the government believes tackling drug trafficking in countries such as pakistan and iran, both of which border afghanistan the worlds largest producer of opium will help prevent heroin. Trafficking within afghanistan is more prevalent than transnational trafficking, and the majority of victims are children. Jan 20, 2014 in the sharpest warnings they have ever issued on the topic, pentagon officials told congress the growing opium trade is threatening the costly us war effort to build a stable afghanistan. Critics say the extensive use of the death penalty including frequent mass hangings that the public is encouraged to attend has done little to stop drug use and trafficking in iran. Drug trafficking from afghanistan to pakistan is a dilemma which has its roots in regional geo politics and cold war rivalries. Illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic. Pakafghan drug trade in historical perspective jstor. Afghanistan has been the worlds leading illicit opium producer since 2001. To attract the cooperation and assistance of national and international organizations in the task of combating cultivation, trafficking and use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and the chemical precursors used in their. Dedicate resources for trafficking victim shelters and services, including for male victims. The war in afghanistan brings drugs to pakistan the new.
Unfortunately, afghanistan is confronted with a significant trafficking problem, which is deeply intertwined with the countrys other problems as it emerges from decades of. Afghanistan again tops list of illegal drug producers. Afghanistan became the leader in the opium trade, a position it still maintains uncontested. The subcommittees leadership and support in our fight against international drug trafficking and terrorism is deeply appreciated by dea and all americans. Why iran quietly abolished death penalty for some drug crimes.
Most of the worlds legal opium is grown on the island of tasmania, south of australia. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws the united nations office on drugs and crimes world drug report 2005 estimates the size. At current levels, world heroin consumption 340 tons and seizures represent an annual flow of 430450 tons of heroin into the global heroin market. How the heroin trade explains the usuk failure in afghanistan. Iran eases death penalty laws for drug traffickers news dw 14. Cias shady history of drug trafficking posted on january 3, 2014 by abby even though presentday afghanistan flies under the news radar, it remains to be the longest military quagmire in us history. There have also been allegations of us and european involvement in afghanistan s drug trafficking with links to taliban. Helmand, home to an estimated 80% of afghanistan s opium poppies, is a big drug factory, a western official told afp earlier this year. Power, crisis, drugs drugs politics ncbi bookshelf. News about drug trafficking in afghanistan, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. Afghanistans drug industry began to take off after the soviet invasion in 1979. International drug trafficking and terrorism asa hutchinson, dea administrator testimony before the senate judiciary committee subcommittee on technology, terrorism, and government information.
Raise awareness of trafficking at the local level, including its definition, law enforcement and. In iran, for instance, drug dealing carries the death penalty. In brief, while iran and saudi arabia have adopted the death penalty for drug trafficking charges. Afsahi, 2014, and the afghan opium route, which alone represents alone ca. This trade moved through the territory of the islamic. Trafficking in human beings is a global problem, with an estimated 800,000 to 900,000 people trafficked across international borders each year and an untold many trafficked within their own countries. Helmand, home to an estimated 80% of afghanistans opium poppies, is a big drug factory, a western official told afp earlier this year. Drug trafficking united nations office on drugs and crime. Drug trafficking and the 2014 transition description this report describes key u. Its about drugs, says the former drug enforcement agency dea attache to afghanistan.
Afghanistan, brunei, iran, mauritania, nigeria, pakistan, qatar, saudi arabia, sudan, united arab emirates, yemen. A fter largely ignoring afghanistan for a decade, washington rediscovered the country in the aftermath of the 911 terrorist attacks. To battle drugtraffickers, argentina takes a risk and. The old drug trafficking routes of mainland southeast asia. Afghanistan struggles to fight daunting opium war al. Afghanistans taliban and isis have the same funding model. Aug 30, 2007 sky news alex crawford gained exclusive access to a drug production plant in afghanistan and the traffickers who are helping to supply the herion on britains streets. Dec 05, 2008 the drug trade is a crucial part of afghanistans economy. What are some interesting facts about drug trafficking. Last execution for drug trafficking offense is on 7 october 2002. Penetrating every stage of afghan opium chain, taliban. Penetrating every stage of afghan opium chain, taliban become. Follis was tasked with leading the fight against drug trafficking in afghanistan in the years after 911. And there is very little the united states or other countries can do about the opiate production in afghanistan.
Drugs production and trafficking in afghanistan deepali gaur singh on. The world drug report has stated that pakistan is the main transit country for narcotics, heroin and opium in particular, produced in the neighbouring afghanistan. Irans neighbor afghanistan produces around 90 percent of the worlds opium, and iran itself serves as a major transit point for narcotics. Resurgent afghanistan drug trade threatening us goals. Helmand is all about drugs, poppy and taliban, he said. Penetrating every stage of afghan opium chain, taliban become a cartel afghans accused of smuggling opium were held last year in zaranj. A drug warriors inside look at the war on afghanistans heroin trade a dea veteran recounts fighting the taliban and the cia while trying to bring down afghan drug kingpins. Afghanistans opium poppy harvest produces more than 90% of illicit heroin globally, and more than 95% of the european supply.
Here are twenty countries in which you do not want to be caught carrying or selling drugs. On afghanistan, meanwhile, the report says smuggling of heroin into india from afghanistan and pakistan continued to increase in 2012 and that drugtrafficking organizations in. Through this approach, the books shows that, with regard to crisis and at the. News about drug trafficking in afghani stan, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. I look forward to a successful, productive, and cooperative relationship with the subcommittee on this most important issue. Afghan opiate trafficking through the southern route. In 2007, 93% of the nonpharmaceuticalgrade opiates on the world market originated in afghanistan. Written by noted terrorism expert frank shanty, the book explores the nature and the extent of involvement between international criminal drug traffickers. General readers and academic specialists will find much of value in the book, especially in terms of drug issues and the history and culture of afghanistan. Almost half the opium cultivated in afghanistan is trafficked through pakistan, but pakistan itself has few heroin users.
Afghanistans role in irans drug problem council on. The opium economy in afghanistan united nations office on drugs. The three cases cover different aspects of todays mena drugs policy spectrum. In 2012, transparency international ranked afghanistan 174 out of 176 countries in its corruption perceptions index. Feb 17, 2016 penetrating every stage of afghan opium chain, taliban become a cartel. Taliban control of heroin drug production trafficking in. In an interview by email censored to the brazilian newspaper o tempo, later sent to me in full also by email, she stated that, the afghan narcotics economy is a designed project of.
Further information can be found in the yearly world drug report. Drug trafficking, like terrorism, is a devastating fallout for pakistan of the conflict in afghanistan. United states drug laws are often considered harsh, but the penalties for carrying or trafficking drugs in other countries, particularly those in central america, south america, and southeast asia, can be much more severe. Cultivation of the narcotic hit record highs last year, according to u. Afghanistans poppy fields now supply more than 90 percent of the worlds heroin, and authorities appear to be unable or, some suggest, unwilling to stop those behind the multibillion dollar trafficking industry. Nov 30, 2007 drugs production and trafficking in afghanistan deepali gaur singh on. Legal penalty under narcotics hazard prevention act, though rarely enforced in recent years. More land is used for opium in afghanistan than is used for coca cultivation in latin america.
Afghanistan supplies 80 percent of the worlds opium, and thus, 80 percent of its heroin. But south korea has not had an execution for any offense since 1997. The government believes tackling drug trafficking in countries such as pakistan and iran, both of which border afghanistan the worlds largest producer of opium will help prevent heroin. Years ago, former parliamentary, writer and activist for human rights malalai joya pointed out that the cia continues trafficking drugs from afghanistan.
The country tends to stick to funneling the drug through. Pakistan risks uk antidrugs money as hangings of traffickers. Capital punishment for nonviolent offenses wikipedia. In october 2001, the us began bombing the country, and.
There are an estimated 68,000 iranians imprisoned for drug trafficking and another 32,000 for drug. With the death penalty being discussed as a subfield of drug laws, the debate. Jan 12, 2015 a drug warriors inside look at the war on afghanistans heroin trade a dea veteran recounts fighting the taliban and the cia while trying to bring down afghan drug kingpins. The transnational threat of afghan opium, unodc shows the devastating consequences that the 900 tons of opium and 375 tons of heroin that are trafficked from afghanistan every year have on the health and security of countries along the balkan and eurasian drug routes, of countries in europe, of china, india and the russian. Mar 12, 20 on afghanistan, meanwhile, the report says smuggling of heroin into india from afghanistan and pakistan continued to increase in 2012 and that drugtrafficking organizations in india use. It is not only the biggest threat with severe implications for social sector and good governance in both the countries but also to regional security.
The drug trade is a crucial part of afghanistans economy. Sky news alex crawford gained exclusive access to a drug production plant in afghanistan and the traffickers who are helping to supply the herion on britains streets. Drug trafficking in and out of the golden triangle archive ouverte. Nov 27, 2015 the drug trade is now imbedded in all parts of afghan politics, and maintains the corruption at very high levels. Jan 07, 2010 this essay explores the interface of islamic militancy with opium poppy cultivation and the drug trade in the afghanistan pakistan region and draws implications for u. This essay explores the interface of islamic militancy with opium poppy cultivation and the drug trade in the afghanistanpakistan region and draws implications for u. Drug trafficking in afghanistan the new york times. International terrorism and drug trafficking from afghanistan addresses an issue that directly impacts the prospects for resolution of the current insurgency in that nation.
On october 28, 2010, agents of russias federal service for the control of narcotics joined afghan and us anti drug forces in an operation to destroy a major drug production site near jalalabad. To battle drugtraffickers, argentina takes a risk and uses military growing imports and exports of cocaine have increased violence and drug abuse. Afghanistan accounts for more than 90 percent of the worlds opium supply, and opium poppies are now grown in most provinces. The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs that are subject to drug prohibition laws. Pakistan, afghanistan work together to fight drug trafficking february 07, 2015 file an afghan man prepares to set narcotics on fire on the outskirts of kabul, oct. In 1980, there were only 50,000 drug users in pakistan. Amend chapter 5 of the penal code to increase the penalties for bacha bazi in line with penalties prescribed for other forms of trafficking. Afghan boys and girls are trafficked within the country and into iran, pakistan and india as well as persian gulf arab states for forced prostitution and forced labor in brick kilns, carpetmaking factories, 1 and. Drug trafficking and the 2014 transition congressional research service summary afghanistan is the worlds primary source of opium poppy cultivation and opium and heroin production, as well as a major global source of cannabis marijuana and cannabis resin hashish. Although he was born in january, his nickname refers to the month of may. Feb, 2004 panelists talked about opium production in afghanistan, the relation of drug trafficking to narcoterrorism, the development of programs to defeat trafficking, the role of u. Today he forms part of the powerful sinaloa cartel. With levels of incarceration increasing and drug trafficking prosperous as ever.
Considered the real power behind the sinaloa cartel by some, this 63 yearold veteran of the mexican drug trafficking world has been trafficking drugs since the early 80s. Pakistan, afghanistan work together to fight drug trafficking. Many of the worlds biggest drug traffickers are fine, upstanding citizens. Nov 09, 2012 drug trafficking, like terrorism, is a devastating fallout for pakistan of the conflict in afghanistan. Chapter two the connection between illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and. The cia continues trafficking drugs from afghanistan. Afghanistans opium production is through the roofwhy.