UN: Increased Methamphetamine Trafficking in Afghanistan as Taliban Tightens Grip on Heroin

A report from the United Nations indicated on Sunday that methamphetamine trafficking within and around Afghanistan has increased in recent years, despite the Taliban's efforts to clamp down on heroin trafficking since taking power. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, stated that "the significant increase in methamphetamine trafficking in Afghanistan and the region indicates a major shift in the illegal drug market and requires our immediate attention." The Taliban, which regained power in August 2021, announced a ban on drug production in Afghanistan, the world's leading opium producer. Taliban officials claim that their security forces are taking strict measures against Afghan poppy farmers and destroying crops. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime noted in a statement that while heroin trafficking has slowed, methamphetamine trafficking "has increased since the ban." Methamphetamine seizures in Afghanistan and surrounding areas rose 12-fold in the five years leading up to 2021. Between 2019 and 2022, neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan also reported an increase in seizures. The office added that distant countries like France and Australia recorded methamphetamine seizures that were likely sourced from Afghanistan.