Inside Afghanistan's booming opium trade | 60 Minutes Australia
60 Minutes Australia・9 minutes read
Afghanistan is a leading producer of heroin globally, with opium poppy cultivation being a major source of income despite minimal government intervention. The country faces challenges in controlling opium production due to widespread corruption at different levels of the government.
Insights
- Opium production in Afghanistan is a crucial economic activity that dominates the global heroin market, with authorities often turning a blind eye due to its financial significance.
- Corruption within the Afghan government poses a significant obstacle to effectively combating opium production, as some officials are directly involved in the trade, complicating eradication efforts.
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Recent questions
How much heroin does Afghanistan produce?
Most of the world's heroin.
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Summary
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Afghanistan's Heroin Trade: A Lucrative Industry
- Afghanistan produces over three-quarters of the world's heroin, with opium poppy fields covering vast areas, contributing significantly to the country's income.
- Opium production in Afghanistan is widespread and openly conducted, with little to no interference from authorities due to its economic importance.
- The process of harvesting opium involves extracting the milk from the seed pod using a tool with needle points, which is then left to congeal and scraped off the next day.
- Opium is further processed into heroin, with a significant portion of the world's opium being grown in Afghanistan and distributed through various channels.
- The opium trade in Afghanistan is a major source of income, with opium poppy selling for significantly higher prices than wheat, leading many farmers to choose opium cultivation.
- Efforts to combat opium production in Afghanistan are hindered by corruption at various levels of government, with some officials involved in the trade, making eradication challenging.
