UN Warns of Rising Threat from Transnational Crimes in Afghanistan

DID Press: UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative in Afghanistan has warned of the expanding threat posed by synthetic drug trafficking and organized crime, stressing that countering these networks requires international cooperation, disruption of illicit financial flows, and the creation of alternative livelihoods for farmers.

The UNODC said that tackling transnational criminal networks can support social and economic development and improve the quality of life in Afghanistan and beyond.
In a video message marking the International Day Against Transnational Organized Crime, Polleak Ok Serei, the UNODC representative in Afghanistan, underscored the need for coordinated action.

Polleak Ok Serei noted that criminal groups not only harm communities and national economies but also inflict severe damage on the environment.
He added that while opium cultivation in Afghanistan has declined, the rise of synthetic drug trafficking in the region has increased the likelihood that criminal networks will shift further toward the production of industrial drugs.

“Drug production and trafficking remain the primary source of income for transnational criminal networks,” he said, adding that the profits fuel arms smuggling, human trafficking, migrant exploitation, corruption, and terrorism.

The UN representative stressed that confronting these crimes requires broad international cooperation, targeting illegal financial flows, and addressing the socioeconomic drivers of drug supply.
He emphasized that providing alternative livelihoods and economic opportunities for farmers is essential to reducing dependence on illicit crop cultivation.

According to UNODC’s latest data, opium cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by 20% compared to last year, but the production of synthetic drugs—especially methamphetamine—is rising.
Seizures of methamphetamine increased by 50% by the end of 2024 compared with the previous year.