Looks like we haven't been able to slow down the narco traffic in Afghanistan

[rainbow4321]

at all. Because we had, Russia wouldn't be asking the US DEA to step in and help stem the drug/money flow from there. Reading the cable, you'd never know that Afghanistan was a country that the US has occupied for 9 years.
The cable is dated February 2010



http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/02/10MOSCOW293.html

Summary: On February 5, 2010, DEA Chief of Operations (OC)
Thomas Harrigan and DEA Regional Director (RD) Mark Destito met with
Russian Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) Deputy Director Nikolay
Aulov in Moscow, Russia. OC Harrigan and Deputy Director Aulov
discussed the following topics: utilizing DEA's resources in
Afghanistan to target Afghan based DTOs that are sending Afghan
opiates to Russia; suggestion that the United States apply to become
a "full fledged" country member of the Central Asian Regional
Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) and the FSKN's support in this bid;

(snip)

4.(SBU) Deputy Director Aulov began by discussing the Afghan opiate
problem that the Russian Federation is facing. According to Deputy
Director Aulov, from FSKN's and the Russian Government's point of
view the trafficking of Afghan opiates and their abuse is considered
a "weapon of mass destruction" for the Russian Federation, which is
inflicting great harm to the country and its citizens.



5.(SBU) Deputy Director Aulov explained every day there are
approximately 80 to 150 drug related deaths of Russian citizens,
which can be attributed to the abuse of Afghan opiates. The FSKN is
not satisfied that last year the production of opium decreased to
approximately 6,900 metric tons. The FSKN believes that much more
can be done to decrease the opium production in Afghanistan.
According to FSKN intel, there are enough opiates in storage in
Afghanistan that can supply the demand for the next five years

6.(SBU) The FSKN stated that Central Asian law enforcement
counterparts are not fulfilling their duties in combating the
trafficking of Afghan opiates. The FSKN provided statistics for last
year, which revealed the following: the Tajik Drug Control Agency
seized approximately 1.5 metric tons less than they did in 2008,
Kyrgyz law enforcement counterparts seized 10 times less drugs
shipments than last year, and the situation is no different for
Kazakh and Uzbek law enforcement counterparts. The FSKN is
disappointed with the work ethic and results of all the law
enforcement agencies in the Central Asian countries.

Agent's Note: A new trend that FSKN in seeing is that drug proceeds
are now being sent directly to Afghanistan instead of being sent to
third countries (i.e. UAE, Europe, and Central Asia).

(snip)

18.(SBU) OC Harrigan identified that the DEA has offices in the
following African countries: Lagos, Nigeria, Cairo, Egypt, Pretoria,
South Africa, and Accra, Ghana but the DEA is quickly developing a
close working cooperation with the respective host country
counterparts. As an example, OC Harrigan described the recent joint
investigation between the DEA and Ghana counterparts that led to the
arrest and the extradition of three Al-Qaeda associates who were
involved in cocaine trafficking to the United States for
prosecution.

[old mark]

1. Hell, we haven't done well with the narco traffic from Mexico, either - since WWII!

FWIW, WE sent the opium poppies to Mexico for farmers to grow to supply opiates for WWII military use in medicine...it has been biting us in the ass ever since. We started the farmers making decent money, and they got used to it...

mark

[glinda]

2. Have a feeling they could slow it down if they actually wanted to. $$$$$$$

[rainbow4321]

11. There was a quote on another cable

from a nearby country's official..he was tell the US official about why they couldn't decrease the flow of drugs from country to country: "Some fish are too big to catch". Pretty much went on to say that because there are so many high level official involved from the involved countries, that many of the people caught are never charged..or that they are never caught since lower level security at ports/airports are bribed to look the other way.

[spanone]

3. hell the cia is probably still running drugs out of vietnam

[reggie the dog]

9. the afghan hash we get here in france is stamped in english

"Sharif Afghanistan Super Quality" stamped in english ten times on each 100 gram block of that brand and that is the best stuff going around and is 6 euros a gram. it is stamped in english on hash sold here in france, it makes me think that the mi6 or cia has a hand in it.

[Raster]

4. I believe that the narco-traffic is being "managed" for the "benefits" that it can provide....

...namely, the flood of opiates into Russia.

[reggie the dog]

5. We have great quality afghan hash here in France

and for cheap 100 grams for 600 euros for top quality black afghan hash that is stamped "sharif afghanistan super quality" in gold.

[reggie the dog]

6. x2

x

[reggie the dog]

7. x3

x

[MadHound]

8. That's because the CIA and others don't want to slow down that traffic.

Why do you think we keep having wars in areas where massive quantities of drugs are produced, Vietnam, South America, Afghanistan.

Drugs are a completely black revenue source for the CIA, and they will do whatever is needed to make a profit, turn our own soldiers into junkies, flood this country with crack, whatever is necessary.

[sad sally]

10. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime,

Most opium/poppy cultivation takes place in nine of its 34 Provinces. In 2000 there were 82,000 hectares (317 sq. mi.) and in 2010 (nearly 10 years after the US invaded and continues to destroy and/or occupy) it stands at 123,000 hectares (475 sq. mi.).

[Iggo]

12. The problem with illegal drugs is that they're illegal.

[Lyric]

13. +1