Taliban Administration Announces Intensified Fight Against Industrial Drugs Across Afghanistan
The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate has announced a widespread and serious campaign against drugs, especially industrial narcotics, throughout Afghanistan. According to officials from this agency, the main focus is on preventing the entry and distribution of industrial drugs, which are primarily smuggled from neighboring countries.
Abdul Haq Matei, Head of Coordination in the Anti-Narcotics sector, stated at a seminar in Kabul that achievements in controlling traditional drugs have been “remarkable,” but the threat of industrial drugs persists. He emphasized that responsible forces are tasked with identifying, arresting, and referring the main operators of trafficking networks to judicial authorities.
These remarks were made at a seminar titled “Causes of Youth Drug Addiction and Ways to Prevent It,” held in Kabul with the participation of students, university professors, and officials from the Anti-Narcotics Directorate. The organizers said the purpose of the program was to examine the factors driving youth toward drug use and to seek preventive solutions.
While Taliban officials emphasize security measures and pursuing trafficking networks, several university professors at the seminar stated that combating drugs solely through security approaches will not yield sustainable results. They called for serious attention to the social and economic roots of the phenomenon, including unemployment and the lack of educational opportunities for young people.
According to these professors, effective management of the production, distribution, and consumption chain of drugs—from street and park levels to organized networks—requires comprehensive planning and transparency in law enforcement. They stressed that the Taliban administration should, alongside announcing achievements, also provide clear and measurable reports on the practical outcomes of the anti-drug campaign.
Some participating students also said that awareness programs could be effective, but without creating job and educational opportunities, the tendency of young people toward drugs will remain. They noted that poverty and unemployment are major factors driving youth to this social harm.
Participants in the seminar emphasized that implementing targeted programs for youth, seriously combating the root causes of drug proliferation, and impartial law enforcement are among the most important strategies to prevent an increase in drug use in the country.
