The Opium Markets of Afghanistan

Photo of Shaddle Bazaar courtesy of the BBC

BBC: Travelling on Afghanistan's main Jalalabad to Torkham road, you eventually arrive at Shaddle Bazaar, a market of around 30 shops in the eastern province of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan.

At first glance, it looks like any other normal market offering everyday goods.

But in reality, this is one of Afghanistan's biggest opium markets.

Farmers from Nangarhar and other adjacent provinces bring opium to Shaddle to sell. Much of it comes from Nangarhar and Helmand - two of Afghanistan's biggest opium-producing provinces.

Mud hut shop

Thousands of kilos of opium are bought and sold every day. Inside an Afghan opium market (more) By Bilal Sarwary, Shaddle Bazaar, eastern Afghanistan

Mark Alexander

Iranian Carpenter Arrested for Opium Trade
KUWAIT TIMES: KUWAIT: Following the seizure of drugs hidden inside some olives and seizing another 25 kg of heroin inside radishes in the UAE, Kuwait's Drug Control General department (DCGD) detectives managed to seize opium hidden inside some nut shells, said informed sources. The sources noted that the DCGD, under commandership of Brig Sheikh Ahmed Al-Khalifa, had been tipped off about the activity of an Iranian carpenter in Jahra who had been selling opium which he managed to smuggle in a while ago through the airport despite undergoing very thorough inspections. A special team consisting of Lt Khaled Gholoum and Lt Ali Adullah was assigned to the mission and managed to make a deal with the suspect to buy some opium for KD 50. The suspect was arrested red-handed on delivery and a further quarter kilo of the drug was found at his house. A case was filed and further investigations are still in progress. Iranian carpenter arrested in Jahra for opium trade (more) By Hanan Al-Sa'doun

Mark Alexander