RASC News Agency: Local sources from Herat Province in western Afghanistan have disclosed that adept smugglers artfully traffic gold ingots from the western provinces to neighboring countries. An anonymous source from Herat Province informed RASC News Agency on Tuesday, May 28th, that smugglers procure gold ingots from sellers in this province at favorable prices and clandestinely transport them from Herat to eastern provinces and subsequently to Pakistan.
The source elucidated that these smugglers operate both within and outside Afghanistan, gradually transferring the gold ingots across borders directly and indirectly to reach international smugglers. Likewise, other reputable sources in western Afghanistan confirm that the smuggling of gold ingots to neighboring and non-neighboring countries has prompted many ordinary individuals to become major smugglers.
According to the source, gold ingots have provided significant economic prosperity for some individuals, substantially enriching them. The source further adds that apart from gold smuggling, some smugglers are also involved in silver smuggling, a practice facilitated through coordination between domestic and foreign authorities.
Meanwhile, Razak Rowfi, a civil activist in Herat Province, informed RASC News Agency that with the Taliban’s control, the number of smugglers in western Afghanistan has surged. He added that compared to previous Afghanistan governments, the Taliban have closer ties with smugglers, who essentially function as their special operatives.
According to him, the Taliban have made various claims to the media, asserting that their primary struggle is against smugglers, a claim far from reality. The Taliban have yet to comment on this matter, despite their long-standing assertion, following their assumption of control over the country, that they combat smuggling and theft.
