Taliban Trafficking
The Taliban's love-hate relationship with opium
Under the Taliban, Afghanistan was producing nearly 80% of all the world’s heroin and opium. In July 2000, Mullah Omar ordered an immediate halt to opium cultivation. Now, amid the chaos on the Afghan–Pakistan frontier, the Taliban have revoked the ban.
“One of the greatest fears of the moment is that the Taliban, in order to obtain ready cash will try to sell as much of the 23 billion pound stockpile as possible,” comments Dr Maley, South Asia Security specialist. However, it is Iran who faces the greatest threat from the increased drug trafficking. “Last year, 170 soldiers were killed during shoot outs with traffickers,” observes Antonio Mazzitelli (UN drug control in Iran). The Taliban are happy to fuel the drug trade because they claim it only harmed the decadent west. But on the streets of Iran there are 2 million addicts with Afghan heroin coursing through their veins.
Produced by ABC Australia
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