by Michel Chossudovsky
In 2000, the Taliban government under advice from the United Nations
Drug Control Program (UNDCP) imposed a total ban on opium production.
Prior to the ban, according to the US Drug
Enforcement Agency (DEA) Afghanistan produced more than 70% of the
world's opium in 2000, and about 80% of opiate products (meaning heroin)
destined to the European market.
The annual proceeds of the Afghan Golden Crescent drug trade (between
100 and 200 billion dollars) represented approximately one third of the
worldwide annual turnover of narcotics, estimated
by the United Nations to be of the order of $500 billion.
In many regards, the trade in narcotics as well as the drug routes to
the European and North American markets are considered to be
"strategic". There are powerful financial interests
behind the drug trade, which have a pervasive influence, behind the
scenes, on the conduct of US foreign policy.
These multibillion dollar revenues of narcotics were deposited in the
Western banking system. Most of the large international banks -together
with their affiliates in the offshore banking
havens-laundered large amounts of narco-dollars. In other words,
Afghanistan, the poorest country on earth, was the source of tremendous
financial wealth derived from the drug trade to financial
institutions, business syndicates and organised crime. Part of the drug
related revenues accrues to the CIA, which continues to protect both the
Asian and Latin American drug trade. Visibly, only
a very small percentage of these revenues stays in Afghanistan.
Following the year 2000 ban on poppy production imposed by the
Taliban government, opium production collapsed by more than 90 percent,
leading to a dwindling drug trade and substantial losses
to the inters underlying this multibillion dollar trade including
Western financial institutions.3 The Northern Alliance became the main
political force involved in protecting the
production and marketing of raw opium.
The Drug Trade Restored by the US Puppet Regime
While oil and oil pipelines out of the Caspian sea basin were
undoubtedly a factor, the bombing of Afghanistan also served to restore
the multibillion drug trade, which is protected by the
CIA.
Immediately following the installation of the US puppet government
under Prime Minister Hamid Kharzai, opium production soared, regaining
its historic levels. According to the UNDCP, opium
cultivation increased by 657 % in 2002 (in relation to its 2001 level).
In 2001, opium cultivation had fallen to an estimated 7606ha.(See table
below). It is currently estimated by the UNDCP to
be of the order of 45 000 -65 000ha.
In the immediate wake of September 11, the price of opium in
Afghanistan increased three-fold. By early 2002, the price (dollar/kg)
was almost ten times higher than in the year 2000.
Source: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO205B.html
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