A joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Navy has led to the seizure of 200 kilogrammes of Afghanistani heroin worth USD 1.45 million or Rs 1,200 crore&nbsp;from an Iranian vessel.

Talking to the press, NCB's Deputy Director General (operations) Sanjay Kumar Singh said that the agencies have also arrested six Iranian nationals and that the boat and the seized drugs were brought to Mattancherry wharf.&nbsp;

"The NCB has now seized the vessel and 200 kg of heroin. The six Iranian crew members have also been arrested under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, 1985," he said.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Dispatch: India raises objection to US envoy's visit to PoK

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As per PTI, Singh reported that the investigation is still on and that the heroin was in 200 packets with markings and packing unique to Afghanistan and Pakistan-based drug cartels.

The crew tried to escape by jumping into the sea, said&nbsp;Singh. They also tried to dump the consignment.

Some drug packets reportedly carried 'Scorpion' seal markings, while others had 'dragon' markings. The drugs were packed in seven-layer waterproof packing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-drugs-worth-12-billion-seized-from-two-cities-former-pilot-among-six-arrested-523308" hreflang="en">India: Drugs worth $1.2 billion seized from two cities, former pilot among six arrested</a>

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the seized drug was sourced from Afghanistan and was transported to Pakistan. This consignment was then loaded into the now-seized vessel off the Pakistan coast in a mid-sea exchange," NCB said in its statement.

The vessel set sail to Indian waters for further delivery to a Sri Lankan vessel. While efforts are being made to identify&nbsp;and intercept the Sri Lankan vessel, it is yet to be traced.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-delhi-raises-alarming-issue-with-islamabad-on-death-of-six-indian-prisoners-in-pakistan-in-nine-months-523400" hreflang="en">New Delhi raises ‘alarming’ issue of six Indian prisoners’ death in Pakistan within nine months</a>

As per the NCB trafficking of Afghan heroin into India via the Arabian Sea and Indian ocean has increased over the past years.

"The southern route for trafficking of heroin from Afghanistan i.e., from Afghanistan to Makran coast of Iran and Pakistan and then onwards to various countries in the Indian Ocean Region, including India, has gained prominence over the last few years."

(With inputs from agencies)

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A joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Navy has led to the seizure of 200 kilogrammes of Afghanistani heroin worth USD 1.45 million or Rs 1,200 crore from an Iranian vessel.

A joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Navy has led to the seizure of 200 kilogrammes of Afghanistani heroin worth USD 1.45 million or Rs 1,200 crore from an Iranian vessel. Talking to the press, NCB's Deputy Director General (operations) Sanjay Kumar Singh said that the agencies have also arrested six Iranian nationals and that the boat and the seized drugs were brought to Mattancherry wharf. "The NCB has now seized the vessel and 200 kg of heroin. The six Iranian crew members have also been arrested under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, 1985," he said. Watch | WION Dispatch: India raises objection to US envoy's visit to PoK As per PTI, Singh reported that the investigation is still on and that the heroin was in 200 packets with markings and packing unique to Afghanistan and Pakistan-based drug cartels. The crew tried to escape by jumping into the sea, said Singh. They also tried to dump the consignment. Some drug packets reportedly carried 'Scorpion' seal markings, while others had 'dragon' markings. The drugs were packed in seven-layer waterproof packing. Also read | India: Drugs worth $1.2 billion seized from two cities, former pilot among six arrested "Preliminary investigation revealed that the seized drug was sourced from Afghanistan and was transported to Pakistan. This consignment was then loaded into the now-seized vessel off the Pakistan coast in a mid-sea exchange," NCB said in its statement. The vessel set sail to Indian waters for further delivery to a Sri Lankan vessel. While efforts are being made to identify and intercept the Sri Lankan vessel, it is yet to be traced. Also read | New Delhi raises ‘alarming’ issue of six Indian prisoners’ death in Pakistan within nine months As per the NCB trafficking of Afghan heroin into India via the Arabian Sea and Indian ocean has increased over the past years. "The southern route for trafficking of heroin from Afghanistan i.e., from Afghanistan to Makran coast of Iran and Pakistan and then onwards to various countries in the Indian Ocean Region, including India, has gained prominence over the last few years." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

200kg heroin en route to India from Afghanistan via Pakistan seized by NCB

Two persons were arrested&nbsp;while further search&nbsp;is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state.

The authorities also suspect the involvement of an Afghan national, whose whereabouts are currently being traced.

According to India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the 3,000 kgs&nbsp;drug—valued at $2.7 billion in the international market—was seized from Mundra port. The contraband was mixed with talc stone powder.

The officials acted after receiving “specific intelligence” that the drugs were being shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran via two containers, weighing 40 tonnes.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/heroin-from-afghanistan-worth-usd-27-billion-seized-in-india-414584">Heroin from Afghanistan worth USD 2.7 billion seized in India</a>

“Specific intelligence was developed that a consignment imported by M/s Aashi Trading Company, Vijaywada, declared as semi-processed Talc stones originating shipped from Bandar Abbas Port to Mundra Port is suspected to contain narcotics drugs. Intelligence indicated that these drugs have originated from Afghanistan,” the officers said in a statement.

The DRI official informed&nbsp;that 1999.579 kgs were recovered from the first container and 988.64 kgs&nbsp;from the second container, totalling to 2988.219 kgs of heroin.

The officers found that the drug was heroin after conducting a laboratory test.

“The examination was conducted in presence of experts from Forensics Science Lab (FSL), Gandhinagar. During the examination, suspected narcotics drugs were recovered from both the containers. The FSL conducted tests and confirmed the presence of heroin,” it added.

The officers are conducting searches in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat.

<h2>Afghanistan—World’s narco-state</h2>

The latest haul by the Indian authorities brings back the focus on Afghanistan, from where the seized heroin originated.

Afghanistan is the world’s biggest illicit opiate supplier. The poppy crops—the raw ingredient of opium and its derivative heroin— had played a key role in helping the Taliban fund its insurgency against the Western forces, cementing the country’s longtime position as the world’s leading producer of opium.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lack-of-money-may-push-afghan-authorities-to-turn-to-drug-trafficking-putin-413767">Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin</a>

According to the data shared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the area covered under poppy cultivation expanded from 8,000 hectares in 2001 to 224,000 hectares in 2020.

The gum harvested from poppies is turned into heroin and then shipped to Central Asia, Europe and the United States— where the demand remains in high.

According to the UNODC, the opium economy in Afghanistan is estimated at $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion annually, accounting for 6 to 11 per cent of the Afghan Gross Domestic Production (GDP).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-women-judges-fear-reprisal-stay-in-hiding-414427">Afghanistan's women judges fear reprisal, stay in hiding &nbsp;</a>&nbsp;

The UN agency estimates Afghanistan's drug kingpins to account for 80 per cent of global opium and heroin supplies.

<h2>Taliban's tryst with opium</h2>

Intoxicants including narcotic drugs are, notably, ‘haraam’ in Islam. Yet, the Taliban which claim to fight in the name of religion has refrained from banning opium.

According to an American official quoted in the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) report released in May 2021, the militia group derives up to 60 per cent of its annual revenue from the illegal narcotics trade,

An investigation by the BBC found that the Taliban's annual income surged to $400 million from 2011 onwards and is estimated to have peaked at $1.5 billion by 2018-end.

As per UN officials, the Taliban are expected to have earned more than $400 million between 2018 and 2019 from the drug trade, Reuters reported.

However, ever since it took over Afghanistan, the Taliban had been repeatedly stressing that their new government won’t allow the production of narcotics drug.

Speaking at a first press conference on September 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state.

“We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community, we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul.

“From now on, nobody’s going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Two persons were arrested while further search is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state.

Two persons were arrested while further search is taking place across India, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kgs of heroin, originating from Afghanistan, from a port in India's Gujarat state. The authorities also suspect the involvement of an Afghan national, whose whereabouts are currently being traced. According to India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the 3,000 kgs drug—valued at $2.7 billion in the international market—was seized from Mundra port. The contraband was mixed with talc stone powder. The officials acted after receiving “specific intelligence” that the drugs were being shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran via two containers, weighing 40 tonnes. Also read | Heroin from Afghanistan worth USD 2.7 billion seized in India “Specific intelligence was developed that a consignment imported by M/s Aashi Trading Company, Vijaywada, declared as semi-processed Talc stones originating shipped from Bandar Abbas Port to Mundra Port is suspected to contain narcotics drugs. Intelligence indicated that these drugs have originated from Afghanistan,” the officers said in a statement. The DRI official informed that 1999.579 kgs were recovered from the first container and 988.64 kgs from the second container, totalling to 2988.219 kgs of heroin. The officers found that the drug was heroin after conducting a laboratory test. “The examination was conducted in presence of experts from Forensics Science Lab (FSL), Gandhinagar. During the examination, suspected narcotics drugs were recovered from both the containers. The FSL conducted tests and confirmed the presence of heroin,” it added. The officers are conducting searches in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat. Afghanistan—World’s narco-state The latest haul by the Indian authorities brings back the focus on Afghanistan, from where the seized heroin originated. Afghanistan is the world’s biggest illicit opiate supplier. The poppy crops—the raw ingredient of opium and its derivative heroin— had played a key role in helping the Taliban fund its insurgency against the Western forces, cementing the country’s longtime position as the world’s leading producer of opium. Also read | Lack of money may push Afghan authorities to turn to drug trafficking: Putin According to the data shared by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the area covered under poppy cultivation expanded from 8,000 hectares in 2001 to 224,000 hectares in 2020. The gum harvested from poppies is turned into heroin and then shipped to Central Asia, Europe and the United States— where the demand remains in high. According to the UNODC, the opium economy in Afghanistan is estimated at $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion annually, accounting for 6 to 11 per cent of the Afghan Gross Domestic Production (GDP). Also read | Afghanistan's women judges fear reprisal, stay in hiding The UN agency estimates Afghanistan's drug kingpins to account for 80 per cent of global opium and heroin supplies. Taliban's tryst with opium Intoxicants including narcotic drugs are, notably, ‘haraam’ in Islam. Yet, the Taliban which claim to fight in the name of religion has refrained from banning opium. According to an American official quoted in the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) report released in May 2021, the militia group derives up to 60 per cent of its annual revenue from the illegal narcotics trade, An investigation by the BBC found that the Taliban's annual income surged to $400 million from 2011 onwards and is estimated to have peaked at $1.5 billion by 2018-end. As per UN officials, the Taliban are expected to have earned more than $400 million between 2018 and 2019 from the drug trade, Reuters reported. However, ever since it took over Afghanistan, the Taliban had been repeatedly stressing that their new government won’t allow the production of narcotics drug. Speaking at a first press conference on September 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid promised that the new government would not turn the world's leading producer of opium into a fully-fledged narco-state. “We are assuring our countrymen and women and the international community, we will not have any narcotics produced," Mujahid told reporters in Kabul. “From now on, nobody’s going to get involved (in the heroin trade), nobody can be involved in drug smuggling.” (With inputs from agencies)

Massive drug haul: Indian authorities reveal how heroin worth $2.7 bn was busted on way from Afghanistan

Afghanistan saw a 10 per cent jump in opium cultivation this year, highlighting bumper harvests owing to collapsing eradication efforts amid growing insecurity and declining international counter-narcotics assistance, the UN said on Sunday.

Cultivation dropped last year due to drought conditions but it has been on the rise in the past decade, fuelling the Taliban insurgency and spurring a growing crisis of drug addiction despite costly US-led counter-narcotics programs.

High levels of cultivation this year meant the estimated opium production soared 43 per cent to 4,800 tons, a UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report said, highlighting a &quot;worrying reversal&quot; in efforts to combat the scourge of drugs.

&quot;The cultivation has increased by 10 per cent this year compared to the same time in 2015, from 183,000 hectares to 201,000 hectares,&quot; counter-narcotics minister Salamat Azimi told reporters while releasing the UN report.

&quot;Ninety-three percent of the cultivation has taken place in the southern, eastern and western parts of the country.&quot;

Officials cited favourable weather conditions, rising insecurity and falling international donor support as the main reasons for the increase in cultivation in Afghanistan, the world&#39;s leading producer of opium.

The southern restive province of Helmand remained the country&#39;s top poppy cultivating province, followed by Badghis, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Nangarhar and Farah, all hotbeds of insurgent activity.

&quot;I believe with the existing equipment, facilities and civilian task force, we cannot fight the cultivation of poppy in insecure areas,&quot; said Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, deputy minister of interior for counter-narcotics.

&quot;The challenges of deteriorating security in different parts of the country took away the opportunities to destroy poppy farms.&quot;&nbsp;

Seeds of war&nbsp;

Eradication efforts appeared to have collapsed. A total of 355 hectares of poppy eradication was carried out this year, a 91 per cent plunge from 2015.

&quot;In 2016, farmers&#39; resistance against poppy eradication operations was occasionally expressed through direct attacks on eradication teams,&quot; the UN report said.&nbsp;

&quot;No eradication took place in the provinces with high levels of opium poppy cultivation due to the extremely poor security situation in those areas and logistical/financial challenges to organise the eradication teams on time.&quot;

Afghanistan saw a drop in opium cultivation last year for the first time since 2009, a UN report said, citing drought conditions as a key reason for the decline. But that was seen as a temporary blip.

Poppy farmers in Afghanistan are often taxed by the Taliban, who use the cash to help fund their insurgency against government and NATO forces.

&quot;Most of the conflicts in Afghanistan are financed by income from poppy. Anywhere you see poppy in Afghanistan you see fighting there,&quot; said Ahmadi.

International donors have splurged billions of dollars on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan over the past decade, including efforts encouraging farmers to switch to other cash crops such as saffron. But those efforts have shown little results.

Addiction levels have also risen sharply, from almost nothing under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, giving rise to a new generation of addicts since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

&quot;We explain to the international community that now is the time to increase support for counter-narcotics in Afghanistan,&quot; said UNODC chief Andrey Avetisyan.

(AFP)

There has been a 10% jump in cultivation, leading to the massive increase in estimated production

Afghanistan saw a 10 per cent jump in opium cultivation this year, highlighting bumper harvests owing to collapsing eradication efforts amid growing insecurity and declining international counter-narcotics assistance, the UN said on Sunday. Cultivation dropped last year due to drought conditions but it has been on the rise in the past decade, fuelling the Taliban insurgency and spurring a growing crisis of drug addiction despite costly US-led counter-narcotics programs. High levels of cultivation this year meant the estimated opium production soared 43 per cent to 4,800 tons, a UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report said, highlighting a "worrying reversal" in efforts to combat the scourge of drugs. "The cultivation has increased by 10 per cent this year compared to the same time in 2015, from 183,000 hectares to 201,000 hectares," counter-narcotics minister Salamat Azimi told reporters while releasing the UN report. "Ninety-three percent of the cultivation has taken place in the southern, eastern and western parts of the country." Officials cited favourable weather conditions, rising insecurity and falling international donor support as the main reasons for the increase in cultivation in Afghanistan, the world's leading producer of opium. The southern restive province of Helmand remained the country's top poppy cultivating province, followed by Badghis, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Nangarhar and Farah, all hotbeds of insurgent activity. "I believe with the existing equipment, facilities and civilian task force, we cannot fight the cultivation of poppy in insecure areas," said Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, deputy minister of interior for counter-narcotics. "The challenges of deteriorating security in different parts of the country took away the opportunities to destroy poppy farms." Seeds of war Eradication efforts appeared to have collapsed. A total of 355 hectares of poppy eradication was carried out this year, a 91 per cent plunge from 2015. "In 2016, farmers' resistance against poppy eradication operations was occasionally expressed through direct attacks on eradication teams," the UN report said. "No eradication took place in the provinces with high levels of opium poppy cultivation due to the extremely poor security situation in those areas and logistical/financial challenges to organise the eradication teams on time." Afghanistan saw a drop in opium cultivation last year for the first time since 2009, a UN report said, citing drought conditions as a key reason for the decline. But that was seen as a temporary blip. Poppy farmers in Afghanistan are often taxed by the Taliban, who use the cash to help fund their insurgency against government and NATO forces. "Most of the conflicts in Afghanistan are financed by income from poppy. Anywhere you see poppy in Afghanistan you see fighting there," said Ahmadi. International donors have splurged billions of dollars on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan over the past decade, including efforts encouraging farmers to switch to other cash crops such as saffron. But those efforts have shown little results. Addiction levels have also risen sharply, from almost nothing under the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, giving rise to a new generation of addicts since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan. "We explain to the international community that now is the time to increase support for counter-narcotics in Afghanistan," said UNODC chief Andrey Avetisyan. (AFP)

Afghanistan: Estimated opium production up 43%