RASC News Agency: Reports from Farah province in western Afghanistan indicate that some members of the Taliban group have seized vast lands to generate income through drug cultivation. An informed source in Farah province, speaking on condition of anonymity to the RASC news agency on Friday, April 12th, stated that the Taliban group has prohibited all locals from cultivating drugs in this province and is currently engaged in clandestine drug cultivation in remote areas such as Opium, Marijuana, and other types.
The source adds that such actions by the Taliban group are contrary to all human and Islamic values, with many individuals involved in drug cultivation by the Taliban either imprisoned or killed. According to the source, reports from various parts of Farah province indicate that certain individuals closely associated with the Taliban are involved in drug cultivation, with a portion of the proceeds allocated to the Taliban authorities.
Meanwhile, another source in Farah province informed the RASC news agency that districts such as Bakwa, Bala Buluk, and Pusht Rod are among the areas where drug cultivation by Taliban individuals has continued for some time. This source states that both in the past and at present, one of the lucrative sources of income for the Taliban group is drug trafficking, which has enabled them to achieve desired outcomes for their members. The source mentions the use of surveillance weapons by Taliban members and emphasizes that drug cultivation and trafficking in global markets have equipped members of this group with modern and advanced weapons.
In this regard, Murad Muradi, a civil activist in western Afghanistan, confirms that the Taliban have symbolically informed the media that drug cultivation, purchase, and sale are against the values of the Islamic Emirate and that no individual or group should be involved in such activities. Muradi states that Taliban leaders understand well that their future may be uncertain and that they need to create income sources, including drug trafficking, for themselves.
Noman Bashiri, a knowledgeable figure on Afghanistan affairs, told the RASC news agency that the Taliban have been sending more drugs to several countries in the region and beyond before and after the developments in Afghanistan. He adds that the Taliban annually earn large sums from drug cultivation and have so far managed to survive in Afghanistan. Moreover, according to him, some prominent leaders and officials of the Taliban have purchased expensive houses in Pakistan and other countries like the United Arab Emirates for their family members through drug money. He believes that while drug cultivation has reduced in the eyes of the people due to the demonstrations of the ruling Taliban group, it also brings along an increase in global trade for this group.
Taliban authorities in Farah province have not commented on this news. It is worth mentioning that Farah province in western Afghanistan is one of the fertile areas for drugs such as Opium and Chars, with drug traffickers having ties with the Taliban and also hidden backers behind the scenes.
