The stockpile of illicit drugs maintained in Afghanistan is a growing problem. Iran’s Law Enforcement Police General Hamid Reza Hossein-Abadi warned there could be devastating consequences as a result.
The United Kingdom wants to make it very obvious that they do not want drug traffickers to look for refuge or opportunities within their borders. According to a report in The Gov Monitor, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas has confirmed the UKBA as one of the country’s largest law enforcement bodies.
While the UK government is proposing mandatory labeling on all alcoholic beverages in light of a failure by the industry to do so voluntarily; some are arguing much more must be done to battle underage drinking.
Crime and health problems in already unstable states are increasing and drugs are to blame. A recent Reuters report highlighted that West Africans are consuming more of the drugs trafficked between South America and Europe.
If Western troops hope to be able to pull out of Afghanistan anytime soon, they may have to settle for being replaced by troops with a drug problem. According to a recent Reuters piece, training Afghan police is a central part of NATO’s strategy to eventually turn over responsibility for security in the country to Afghan forces.
Drug trafficking is hard to facilitate if one route is hampered or blocked. According to the head of the European Union drug agency, Turkey is playing a crucial role in blocking such trafficking in its territory in route to the European market. Today’s Zaman reported on this positive progress.
