Hardnews Exclusive: Opium of the rich

There is a mountain of historical evidence to prove that the ballooning opium production and trade in Afghanistan is not possible without support of the Americans and the British 
Sanjay Kapoor Delhi

Early last year, Antonio Maria Costa, head of the United Nations office of Drug and Crime (UNODC) made a serious allegation that funds from drug trade helped to keep afloat banks reeling under global slowdown. Costa explained that the drug money was the only capital available when the "crisis spiralled out of control".

In a subsequent interview, Costa claimed that the "majority of $352 billion of drug profits were absorbed in the economic system" during the period of slowdown. The fact that 90 per cent of the global opiates originate from Afghanistan and its profits helped sustain the tanking global economy raises fundamental questions about the motives and conduct of the United States and the NATO forces in Afghanistan. Although, Costa links revenue from narcotics to Taliban insurgency, crime and now, with ready capital to help the global financial sector from a threatened meltdown, he does not make the most obvious but significant identification of the vested interests comprising of western covert operatives working with Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and a cabal of senior Pakistani and Afghan army officials.

A UNODC report titled, Addiction, Crime and Insurgency- the transnational threat of Afghan opium, shows that Taliban get only 4 per cent of the opium proceeds, while about 75 per cent is captured by government officials and regional power brokers who are supported by NATO and US.  A New York University report mentions how one General Mahmad, a warlord, controls a significant portion of the lucrative trade and also provides security to German reconstruction. There are many others who are dubiously supported by international security forces that are engaged in the opium business. 

The report also states that out of the $ 65 billion per year turnover of the global market of opiates, only 5-10 per cent gets laundered through the informal banking system of 'hawala' and the rest is washed through the international banking system.

The support stated in the document is euphemism for the active involvement of covert operatives from western countries that have been shipping heroin outside Afghanistan. Corroboration to Costa's allegations and UNODC report came from Afghanistan government sources that told Hardnews about 'heroin flights' taking off from Kandahar airport. "Everyday, four to five flights carrying heroin leave the airport. The frequency of these flights has increased over the last one year. What is disturbing is that this airport is controlled by the US Air Force," says this source.

The inferences that can be drawn cannot be supported by the US government-sponsored narrative, but there are a mountain of historical references, statistics, anecdotal evidence and testimonies to support the charge that the ballooning opium production and trade would not have been possible until it had the support of the Americans and the British. For eight years that the British controlled the Helmand province, the land under opium cultivation increased substantially.

For the first time in 2009, the UNODC report showed a fall in opium production, but the report recognizes that this could be due to market correction backed by a very high per acre yield. UNODC in September 2009 shows opium inventory pile up to a gargantuan 10,000 tonnes far more than the standard 5,000 tonnes buffer stock needed for every possible need. This is a worrisome development as it sustains the very circumstances that have been responsible for instability of the Af-Pak region.