Funding its war against the United States, the Taliban reaped millions from boom towns trading opium, heroin and meth. Victorious, the group crushed the trade, leaving ghost towns in its wake.
Tag: Smuggling
‘Bali Nine’ Drug Smugglers Return to Australia
The men were the last Australians still imprisoned in Indonesia for trying to smuggle heroin in 2005, in a case that became a diplomatic flashpoint between the countries.
What is Captagon, the Illegal Stimulant Made in Assad’s Syria?
The illegal amphetamine, used across the Middle East, became Syria’s biggest export during its 13-year civil war.
The Gold Rush at the Heart of a Civil War
Famine and ethnic cleansing stalk Sudan. Yet the gold trade is booming, enriching generals and propelling the fight.
Arrests Made in 2021 Crash That Killed Over 50 Migrants
U.S. and Guatemalan authorities said the arrests were linked to a human trafficking ring and a deadly 2021 traffic accident.
Man Hiding Tarantulas, Centipedes and Ants Is Stopped From Boarding Flight
Officials in Lima, Peru, said the endangered spiders had been taken from the Amazon basin. The man was flying to South Korea.
Mexican Troops Kill 19 Suspected of Being Cartel Members in Sinaloa Shootout
The killings in the northwestern state of Sinaloa raise questions on whether Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is taking a tougher approach to cartels.
Dozens Feared Dead After Migrant Boat Sinks Off Canary Islands
At least nine people are known to have died in a sinking off the Canary Islands and 48 more are missing, the latest disaster on the perilous Atlantic crossing from West Africa.
How Fentanyl Enters the U.S., One American Smuggler at a Time
Mexican drug cartels are turning thousands of Americans into fentanyl smugglers, sending an army of couriers who can easily cross between both countries.
How Fentanyl Enters the U.S., One American Smuggler at a Time
Mexican drug cartels are turning thousands of Americans into fentanyl smugglers, sending an army of couriers who can easily cross between both countries.