Social Impacts of Drug Trafficking in Afghanistan

In recent years, how has drug trafficking affected the lives of civilians? Do civilians take part in smuggling, and if so, why and to what extent? 

In western Afghanistan, the “village of widows” remains an unfortunate repercussion of the village’s men disappearing in attempts to smuggle opium, heroin, and methamphetamines into Iran. Those who smuggle are able to earn a few hundred dollars per trip, a great amount for a small village that lacks electricity and running water [1]. However, the risk of being shot and killed by Iranian border guards or executed in Iran’s courts for smuggling has led to the demise not only of the village’s men, but many of its women and children as well [1]. 


Profits from opium fund the Taliban’s financial networks, and hush money leads to the government of Afghanistan being complicit and allowing opium cultivation, processing, and trafficking to continue [1]. With its corruption and subsequent lack of control over operations, the central government is unable to provide for starving civilians such as the residents in the village of widows [1]. Civilians, well aware of the risk of death, resort to smuggling in hopes of being able to provide basic needs for their families. 


What can the UNODC do to support civilians living in poverty who seem to have no choice but to resort to smuggling? What kind of aid will be provided and who will provide that aid? What can be done to ensure these civilians do not turn to smuggling or drug trafficking, even after their basic needs are provided for?


Additional questions to consider:


How can the UNODC work with governments to address drug trafficking on a larger scale? How will the UNODC hold governments accountable and ensure that officials will not be bribed to dismiss enforcement of trafficking regulations? Should the UNODC have some control over a country’s production and distribution of drugs, in hopes of minimizing illegal drug trafficking and its trickling effect on civilians?





Source(s):

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/27/world/asia/afghanistan-iran-opium.html

[2] photograph: https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2013/11/14/245040114/afghan-farmers-opium-is-the-only-way-to-make-a-living

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