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Article: Taliban threatens to add opium to arsenal.(A)(Nation)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- September 27, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Jerry Seper
The Taliban, facing attack by U.S. forces in the wake of the Sept. 11 assault on America, yesterday threatened to lift a ban on the cultivation of opium and encourage new plantings of the source crop for heroin.
But federal law enforcement authorities said heroin trafficking out of Afghanistan continues unabated and said the ban, announced last year, had never been more than a public relations ploy.
"Despite the Taliban's public relations commitment, there has not been any reduction of heroin trafficking or in the amount of heroin coming out of Afghanistan," said Asa Hutchinson, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement ...