Mundra Drug Bust Has Afghan Links

The Taliban-Pakistan-Khalistan nexus could boost Afghan drug production and trade, posing a major threat to India

- Namrata Biji Ahuja

Haji Bashir Noorzai—nick-named Pablo Escobar of the Middle East—might have been a forgotten name since his arrest in New York, 16 years ago. But the top Afghan drug lord could make a comeback as the new Taliban government is reportedly negotiating with the US administration to secure his release. As Afghanistan faces a major economic crisis, the Taliban’s survival may depend upon the support of drug lords like Noorzai, who run criminal enterprises worth billions of dollars.

The Interpol has raised an alarm and anti-narcotics agencies around the world, especially in South Asian countries like India, are on high alert after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. In its latest assessment of the impact of the Taliban’s return, the Interpol said the opium economy in Afghanistan could be pegged between $1.2 billion and $2.1 billion a year. The Taliban's share ranges between $100 million and $400 million, and could go as high as $1.5 billion.

“The Taliban's takeover and the departure of foreign military forces will likely result in a significant increase in the production and trafficking of both heroin and methamphetamine and with the Taliban now in control of all border crossings, there may be fewer barriers to smuggling drugs out of Afghanistan,” said the Interpol. This could lead to a significant influx of drugs into neighbouring countries and other global destinations, particularly Europe. An increase in supply is likely to drive prices down, making drugs more accessible to both habitual and new users.