Heroin seizures from Arabian Sea

Subject – IR

Context – 3,000 kg heroin was recently seized from Mundra port in a shipment originating from Kandahar

Concept –

Lockdowns including on global air and maritime traffic resulted in fewer seizures in 2020 than in 2019 (see graph based on USODC report), and smaller sized individual seizures.
- But poppy cultivation, harvest and heroin manufacture remained unaffected by the pandemic.

In 2021, the number of seizures and their size has increased, especially since April. The regularity of bigger consignments may reflect the effect of uncertainties in Afghanistan from the time US President Joe Biden announced the departure of troops by August 31.
Poppy cultivation is controlled by the Taliban and was one of their main sources of revenue when fighting the Americans. Recent seizures may indicate syndicates are trying to clear out large quantities.

Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle –