Russia cooperated with the US in Afghanistan, citing their addict problem at home.
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| 80% of world heroin coming from 2 Afghan provinces |
Iran and Pakistan have an interest in cooperating with US-led efforts to block heroin and the cheaper opium from Afghanistan because of their addict problem at home too. See excerpts below from this morning's Strategy Page story:
“Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan are suffering a growing opium addiction problem. There is some heroin addiction as well, but only among the wealthy. Opium is cheap (10-20 cents a gram) enough so that even the poor can get hooked (if they can hustle and steal enough money to feed their habit.) Because of religious prohibitions, alcohol is difficult to come by in these countries. Opium is not explicitly forbidden to Moslems, is easier to conceal, and provides a better high. Even Taliban members use opium. This addiction problem is why most government officials in the region are down on opium, unless they are getting large bribes from the drug gangs.”
"One ton of heroin is made by refining 7.5 tons of opium using 260 tons of acetic anhydride, an industrial chemical." Interdiction goes after imports of the anhydride, exports of drug, poppy farming, and the money chain.
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| Barrels of acetic anhydride ready to ship. |
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