|
|
Article: Cash flow for Taliban eyed as reason for opium surge.(A)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- October 3, 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)
|
Byline: Jerry Seper
Drug shipments out of Afghanistan have increased by 400 percent since the attacks last month on America in what the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration believes is an effort by the ruling Taliban to raise cash or to empty warehouses glutted with opium.
"The outflow of opium has continued since the Sept. 11 attacks, and seizures have multiplied fourfold," said DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson. "They may simply be generating cash or trying to empty out their warehouses for other reasons."
Over the past five years under the Taliban regime, Afghanistan has accounted for more than 70 percent of the global supply of ...