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
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: 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
8am: Reliable sources describe the situation of prisoners in Taliban prisons in Herat province as shocking. According to them, in this prison, in addition to the buying and selling of narcotics, some imprisoned children are also subjected to sexual abuse by Taliban members, while children over seven years old are held in this prison on
Afghanistan International: Following the Taliban’s official ban on opium cultivation and trafficking, some Taliban officials and drug smugglers have turned to producing methamphetamine, locally known as shisha, derived from the ephedra plant, known in Afghanistan simply as ephedra. An investigation by Afghanistan International indicates that certain Taliban figures are directly involved in the ephedra trade.
Khaama: Tajikistan authorities have reported ten armed confrontations with drug traffickers along the Afghanistan border during the first half of this year, marking a significant increase compared to the same period last year. Authorities in Tajikistan have consistently expressed concern about the presence of terrorist groups and drug trafficking networks operating from Afghanistan territory. These
8am: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has estimated that opiate trafficking, primarily heroin, from Afghanistan through Central Asia to Russia generates approximately $10 billion in gross annual revenue. The report, released on Thursday, June 26, 2025, draws on data from 2022 and 2023, identifying Afghanistan as a primary hub for narcotics
Khaama: Mohammad Narimani, Director General of the International Relations Office of Iran’s Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, has stated that drug trafficking from Afghanistan warehouses to Iran and other countries continues unabated. According to Narimani, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Russia remain on the frontline in combating narcotics trafficking originating from Afghanistan. Afghanistan continues to be the world’s largest
8am: The United Nations has reported in a recent assessment that the price of one kilogram of opium in Afghanistan has increased tenfold compared to previous years. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated in its report that following the Taliban’s ban on opium cultivation, the price of this substance has sharply risen,