Afghanistan, March 13 -- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has reported a significant rise in the price of opium, reaching $750 per kilogram in 2024, ten times more than in 2022. Despite a reduction in production, high prices continue to benefit major drug traffickers.
According to the UN, the reduction in drug production following the Taliban's ban on opium led to a decrease in heroin and opium trafficking, with seizures of these substances dropping by about 50% since 2021.
The UNODC stated that the high price per kilogram still generates large profits, mainly benefiting high-level traders and exporters within organized criminal groups.
The UN's report estimated Afghanistan's opium stockpiles at approximately 13,200 t...