Taliban Enjoyed Income from Drug Trade in 2022

Drug cultivation has expanded dramatically in 2022. According to my calculations, overall opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2022 was around 297,000 hectares and total opium production was 9,600 tons. In 2022, the total farmer value of all opium produced in Afghanistan is around USD $1.6 billion. Farmers spent around 40 percent of this sum on cultivation and opium collection.

In addition, Afghan opiate dealers exported over 650 tons of heroin and 2500 tons of opium in the direction of Iran, Central Asia, and Pakistan. In 2022, the entire export value of heroin and opium from Afghanistan was around $2.7 billion. 70% of this amount is derived from the heroin trade.

The opiate trade injected a total of USD 4.3 billion into the Afghan economy in 2022. This amount represents around 25 percent of Afghanistan's overall GDP. In addition, significant quantities of cannabis, precursors, and methamphetamine were traded in Afghanistan in 2022. Excluding other illegal businesses in Afghanistan (people trafficking, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, weapons trafficking, etc.), the contribution of the illicit drug trade in Afghanistan's GDP in 2022 was significant. Consequently, it is apparent that the Taliban Government benefited greatly from the drug trade in 2022. This allowed the Taliban to pay its military personnel and purchase additional guns and other war supplies. As noted in my earlier analysis, the major global actors turned a blind eye and allowed the Taliban to amass sufficient funds from the drug trade to assume control of the country in 2022. The Taliban occasionally issue symbolic bans on opium cultivation, but growers are aware that these are merely symbolic. In 2022, the Taliban has not announced any drug seizures. However, according to media sources, the total number of drug seizures in 2022 (through to September) was low. Furthermore, there is evidence that Taliban officers apprehended the drug dealers and permitted them to conduct business.

Regarding the opiate trade emanating from Afghanistan, the majority of the raw opium exported from Afghanistan is shipped to Iran, with lesser amounts going to Pakistan and India (again via Pakistan). In 2022, of the 650 tons of heroin shipped from Afghanistan, approximately 55% travelled to the World (Southern Route Including India) via Pakistan, 30% were trafficked mostly to Europe (Balkan Route) via Iran, and 15% were trafficked through Central Asia (Northern Route).

The global market value of Afghan opiate amounted to USD 85 billion in 2022. The terrorist and organized crime groups, and illegally armed groups enjoyed this income in 2022.

Afghan farmers and merchants stocked 2,700 tons in 2022. However, in the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran region, an unknown amount of Afghan opium is utilized to manufacture opiate-based medications (pain relievers and cough syrups). Consequently, a portion of the stockpile is likely used for this purpose.