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. 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. These human traffickers are the same people who are involved in drug trafficking. In 2012, transparency international ranked afghanistan 174 out of 176 countries in its corruption perceptions index. At current levels, world heroin consumption 340 tons and seizures represent an annual flow of 430450 tons of heroin into the global heroin market. Afghanistan remains the worlds largest pro ducer of opium and has an underreported but growing heroinuse problem. From control and elimination efforts to a drug economy and bombing labs, and is available on the csis website here. Years ago, former parliamentary, writer and activist for human rights malalai joya pointed out that the cia continues trafficking drugs from afghanistan. Afghanistan protection of civilians special report. In the meantime, the resurgent taliban intensified terrorist activities in areas beyond government. On saturday, 22 june 2019, baghlan mobile detection team mdt acted based on intelligence information, stopped and searched a mazda type truck vehicle in shamarq checkpoint of pulekhumri city which resulted into seizure of 68 kilogrammes of brown. Tehmina maqbool abstract drug trafficking is a prosperous deviance common to most of the modernized societies.
All references to kosovo in the world drug report, if any, should be understood to be in compliance with security council resolution 1244 1999. Pdf recent estimates suggest that in 2007, afghan opiate production. May 29, 2018 this report is entitled afghan narcotics. The first is an erroneous conflation of islamic insurgency with drugfueled shadow economies that primarily serve the interests of the ruling elites. 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. Cultivation and production of opium in afghanistan have skyrocketed since the. Afghanistan joins unodc global initiative against human trafficking and migrant smuggling. Afghanistan is the world leader in the production and trafficking of opiates. Todays estimates run as high as usd 70 billion, with the value of the russian opiate.
Library of congress federal research division country profile. The nexus between terrorism and drug trafficking is creating what michael braun, speaking as the dea chief of operations in 2008, called. Drug trafficking in the united states dates back to the 19th century. Afghanistans illicit drug economy is unprecedented in its scale and has been deeply entrenched within the coun. A nontraditional security threat to national security of pakistan ms. The trafficking of opiates out of afghanistan to the outside consumer markets is a highly lucrative business. The afghan government lacks the necessary resources, institutional capacity, and control mechanisms to guarantee that opium is only purchased legally. 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. If allowed to remain unabated, the menace will considerably destroy the quality of life and hamper social, economic and cultural development of the nations. Borderland beat 2012 1,686 kilos belonging to caf seized in peru. As strategizing for the post2014 regional order in central asia picks up speed, the fight against drug trafficking from afghanistan is evolving as a key objective of international donor involvement in the region. In 2008, the afghan threat finance cell was established to target financial flows related to the insurgency, drug trafficking, and corruption. It can be defined as production or movement of banned drugs at the international or intranational level, the. Action against drug trafficking therefore has a much wider disruptive impact on organised criminal activity.
The world drug report 2019 is again presented in five separate parts that divide the wealth of information and analysis contained in the report into individual readerfriendly booklets in which drugs are grouped by their psychopharmacological effect for the first time in the reports history. This is coupled with the fact that certain members of the present afghan central government allegedly profit from and have direct ties to the countrys drug trade curtis, 2005. There have also been allegations of us and european involvement in afghanistan s drug trafficking with links to taliban. Further information can be found in the yearly world drug report. Central asia has recently emerged as a major international drug trafficking center.
Since there is some scientific and legal ambiguity about the distinctions between drug use, drug misuse and drug abuse, the neutral term drug use is used in the world drug. Jan 30, 2018 drug trade until the product is sold to drug trafficking organizations outside afghanistan. Nov 27, 2015 the drug trade is now imbedded in all parts of afghan politics, and maintains the corruption at very high levels. To fully dismantle drug trafficking organizations, the governments of afghanistan and myanmar should target the highest levels of organizations and all. Drug trafficking in afghanistan the new york times. Airstrikes on alleged drug processing facilities october 2019 1 executive summary this report, issued jointly by united nations assistance mission to afghanistan unama1 and.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations are the largest foreign suppliers pdf of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine to the united states, according to the. Mexico, drug trafficking organizations, realism, and human. Sep 14, 2017 to fully dismantle drug trafficking organizations, the governments of afghanistan and myanmar should target the highest levels of organizations and all those who facilitate them, argued higgins. Drug trafficking is a major source of revenue for organised crime groups, many of whom are involved in other forms of serious crime such as firearms, modern slavery and immigration crime.
Rand corporation, mg1076af home depot cabinet holds drug stash. According to united nations drug control experts, 80 percent of heroin consumed in western europe originates in afghanistan and pakistan. Dod cites dea estimates that the taliban receive a 20% cut from drug trafficking organizations. The purpose of the combating human trafficking in afghanistan activity is to1 raise awareness of the problem, and 2 empower communities to take action and build the capacities within the government of afghanistan to implement and oversee the. The findings of this years world drug report fill in and further complicate the global picture of drug. Drug trafficking from afghanistan to pakistan is a dilemma which has its roots in regional geo politics and cold war rivalries. 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. C trafficking for sex can be a means of destroying communities and groups undesirable to the terrorist organization i. The global afghan opium trade united nations office on drugs. Trafficking within afghanistan is more prevalent than transnational trafficking, and the majority of victims are children. One of the most controversial drug programs in the us is the annual certification process, enacted in 1986, requiring that administration certifies to congress that countries are cooperating with u. Drug enforcement administration dea agents mentored afghan units and raided drug production sites.
From opium to marijuana to cocaine, a variety of substances have been illegally imported, sold and distributed throughout u. 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. It is not only the biggest threat with severe implications for social sector and good governance in both the countries but. Dod determines the value that any struck target would provide to the drug trafficking organization and attributes 20% of that value to the taliban. It is also a major area of cooperation among key actors.
This report assesses the global and regional dynamics of narcotics production and trafficking in afghanistan and pakistan and the implications for counterinsurgency efforts in the region. The following areas of afghanistan play a major role in its drug trafficking. While afghanistans illicit drug economy has been politicised for several reasons. The drug trade is now imbedded in all parts of afghan politics, and maintains the corruption at very high levels. There is a traditional route from helmand, through pakistan, to iran.
Exploring the financial nexus of terrorism, drug trafficking. While some assert that drug trafficking is a strong predictor of terrorism, others contest this observation. Mar 20, 2018 c trafficking for sex can be a means of destroying communities and groups undesirable to the terrorist organization i. It should be stressed that the report can only make guesstimates about the economic impact of afghan narco trafficking. Afghan envoy links drug smugglers to human traffickers. Production southern region of helmand and kandahar provinces, on the border with pakistan, which are the highestvolume areas for drug transactions. The cia continues trafficking drugs from afghanistan. News about drug trafficking in afghanistan, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. 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. However, experts agree that it may take many years to. Airstrikes on alleged drugprocessing facilities october 2019 1 executive summary this report, issued jointly by united nations assistance mission to afghanistan unama1 and the office of the united nations high commissioner for human rights ohchr,2 examines the scope of civilian harm resulting from the united states forces. Afghanistan is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour and sextrafficking. How opium profits the taliban united states institute of peace. Additional resources for the counternarcotics mission are now being considered after it was determined that drug trafficking clearly supports the insurgency.
Drug trafficking and the 2014 transition congressional research service 3 drugs in afghanistan. Boko haram, isis drug trafficking drug trafficking, a multibillion transnational crime business, has diverse perpetrators involved in different segments of the market. One of the major causes of the drug problem is the border mexico shares with the united states. The increase in narco trafficking routes through russia and central asia to supply global demand introduces important international variables. The relationship between drug trafficking and terrorism remains a contentious issue. Second is the implicit assumption that physical border checkpoints between central asia and afghanistan can resolve the drug trade in the. This study focuses on the impact of the afghan opioid trade on terrorist violence in central asia, a.
The revenues from the drug trade permeate all factions involved in the conflict. The increase in narcotrafficking routes through russia and central asia to supply global demand introduces important international variables. 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. Opium poppy cultivation and opiate production in afghanistan. Towards a realistic afghan drug control strategy pdf, 1. The link between illicit opium production and security in afghanistan. Finally, afghanistan is an example of a country that still lacks full political control over vast portions of its territory. Afghanistan has been the worlds leading illicit opium producer since 2001.
A large part of the afghan population is benefiting from the production, processing, and trafficking of opium. Alexanders successors, the seleucids, continued to infuse the region with greek cultural influence. Pdf transnational drug trafficking involves the movement of illegal commodities across borders. Thelinkagebetweenillicitdrugtraffickingandterroristgroups 3 qaeda has benefited from the rising poppy trade in afghanistan in the last several years. In 2004, afghan opium cultivation produced an estimated 87% of the worlds.
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