International

Taliban unlikely to curb Afghanistan's drug trade

Big worry
Agencies
1/5
Big worry
The Taliban through tactical declarations have been pretending to halt production of narcotics in Afghanistan to evade close international scrutiny on opium cultivation in the country.
How do the Taliban make money?
Agencies
2/5
How do the Taliban make money?
However, the Taliban run a taxation system to conduct their insurgent operations, which include the illegal drug trade, reported a Canada-based thinktank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).
More power
Agencies
3/5
More power
Taliban's involvement with the illicit drug economy has brought revenues for the insurgent group. According to a study conducted in the year 2018, out of the total annual income of the Taliban of USD 1.5 billion, the drug trade is estimated to contribute about USD 420 million a year.
Major concern
Agencies
4/5
Major concern
Afghanistan is the world's largest opium producer, which is refined to produce heroin. Afghanistan will soon turn out to be a major supplier of heroin owing to the estimated annual export value of USD 1.5 to USD 3 billion. Opium harvesting in the country has led to 120,000 jobs in the year 2019, reported IFFRAS.
Too much to handle
Agencies
5/5
Too much to handle
The production of heroin in Afghanistan using oven-dried opium is estimated to be around 6,000 tons. After the production, a levy is imposed on the opium transportation that travels from production locations to their user units, reported IFFRAS. Transportation levies account for almost USD 750,000 in income per year.
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