Khaama: Several related economic activities are involved in Afghanistan drug trafficking. Cartels maintain a symbiotic relationship with the Taliban by giving farmers advances to plant ephedra and opium while providing the financial assistance necessary to keep the jihadist proto-state alive. These cartels use Pakistani sources to facilitate the acquisition of chemicals required to produce drugs. In addition, diverse nationalities are used as hostages until their cartels can afford to pay for the delivery of the drugs, and terrorist groups offer security services in exchange for payment, said Hamid Pakteen, reported by Afghan Diaspora Network. The rise of heroin production can be traced back to 1979 when the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate of Pakistan supported jihadist groups to generate funds from drug trafficking. Click here to read more (external link).