8am: Farhad Basharyar, a counternarcotics expert, says drug trafficking is one of the Taliban’s sources of funding. According to him, the Taliban have set up drug processing laboratories inside Afghanistan. He claims that these laboratories previously operated in Pakistan’s tribal areas. The expert believes that the dependence of part of the Taliban’s revenue on the
Kabul Now: Iranian border guards have reported a fourfold increase in seizures of synthetic drugs along the border with Afghanistan during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year, amid growing concerns over the production and trafficking of methamphetamine in the region. Click here to read more (external link).
8am: Field findings by the Hasht-e Subh Daily show that since the Taliban announced a ban on the cultivation and trade of narcotics, the price of one kilogram of opium in Helmand province has risen from 3,000 Afghanis to 50,000 Afghanis. The Sharafat, Sarban Kala, Sangin, Musa Qala, Bahramcha and Chanjir bazaars are among the
8am: Several recovered drug addicts and their families claim that at some drug treatment centers in Kandahar, instead of preventing drug use, the environment has been made accessible for patients to obtain and sell narcotics. They say that in some cases, treatment center staff supply drugs to patients or facilitate the buying and selling of
Khaama: Abdul Zahir Qadeer, a former Afghan general and first deputy speaker of the country’s lower house of parliament, has been extradited from Kenya to the United States to face federal charges over an alleged scheme to traffic large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine and supply military-grade weapons, U.S. prosecutors said. He is the son
Amu:At least two people have been killed and about 14 others wounded in ongoing clashes between local residents and Taliban forces in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province, local sources said on Saturday. The fighting began on Thursday in Argo district and was continuing into Friday, the sources said. Residents and local officials attributed the unrest to
Amu: Cannabis is the most widely used and perceived drug among men in Afghanistan, according to a new assessment by the UN Development Program (UNDP), highlighting persistent substance use challenges despite a nationwide ban imposed by the Taliban in 2023. The assessment, based on interviews with more than 10,000 people across 21 provinces, found that
8am: The Taliban’s claims of economic self-sufficiency and reduced narcotics production are superficial, short-term achievements designed to preserve the power of the ruling elite. In contrast, the people of Afghanistan face polluted villages, generations of illness, widespread poverty, suppression of women, and destruction of prospects for sustainable development. Click here to read more (external link).
Khaama: A new United Nations report reveals that opium farmers in northern Afghanistan are struggling to replace lost income following bans on poppy cultivation. Surveys conducted in Badakhshan, Balkh, and Kunduz provinces show 85 percent of households have been unable to offset revenue losses, leaving communities in urgent need of economic support. Click here to
Khaama: Afghanistan’s opium cultivation fell by 20% in 2025, but UNODC warned synthetic drug production and trafficking are rapidly expanding nationwide. Officials said organized crime groups are shifting to synthetics due to lower costs, easier concealment, and resistance to climate impacts. Click here to read more (external link). Related Taliban Asked UN Not To Report