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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many successful counter-narcotics operations there have been in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban; and if he will make a statement. [196424] Mr. Rammell: The UK has committed more than £70 million over three years for counter-narcotics activity plus significant development funding and support for alternative livelihoods. The UK supports the comprehensive Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, which includes law enforcement activity against traffickers, eradication, judicial reform, alternative livelihoods for farmers, demand reduction and public awareness. Since it became operational in January 2003, the Afghan Special Narcotics Force, with UK funding and advice, has destroyed over 50 tonnes of opiates, 32 labs and made over 20 arrests. The Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, which was created in January 2003 with UK support, report that to date they have seized 2.1 tons heroin and 13.6 tons opium, over 1.5 tons of which were achieved in UK supported operations together with 4.6 tons of precursor chemicals. The Afghan general and border police also seize opiates in the course of their work, but we do not have reliable figures.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

196424; 426 c627W;426 c627-8W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Crime prevention Crops Drugs International assistance Production Afghanistan Heroin Opium Drug seizures

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk