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| Afghanistan opium at record high | Afghanistan opium at record high |
| (1 day later) | |
| Opium production in Afghanistan has soared to record levels, with an increase on last year of more than a third, the United Nations has said. | Opium production in Afghanistan has soared to record levels, with an increase on last year of more than a third, the United Nations has said. |
| The UN Office on Drugs and Crime report says the amount of opium produced there has doubled in the last two years. | The UN Office on Drugs and Crime report says the amount of opium produced there has doubled in the last two years. |
| It says Helmand province is now the biggest single drug-producing area in the world, surpassing whole countries such as Colombia. | It says Helmand province is now the biggest single drug-producing area in the world, surpassing whole countries such as Colombia. |
| Afghanistan now accounts for more than 93% of the world's opiates. | Afghanistan now accounts for more than 93% of the world's opiates. |
| Despite billions of dollars of aid and tens of thousands of international troops, the report says 193,000 hectares of opium poppies are being grown in Afghanistan. | Despite billions of dollars of aid and tens of thousands of international troops, the report says 193,000 hectares of opium poppies are being grown in Afghanistan. |
| 'Insurgency link' | 'Insurgency link' |
| "The results are very bad, terrifyingly bad, because cultivation has increased by 17% to an historic level," said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the Office on Drugs and Crime. | "The results are very bad, terrifyingly bad, because cultivation has increased by 17% to an historic level," said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the Office on Drugs and Crime. |
| Failings in war on drugs Inside Afghan drugs market | Failings in war on drugs Inside Afghan drugs market |
| "No other country beside China in the 19th Century ever had such a large amount of land dedicated to illegal activities. | "No other country beside China in the 19th Century ever had such a large amount of land dedicated to illegal activities. |
| "The province of Helmand in the south has cultivated more opium than in the rest of Afghanistan. | |
| "It has become the largest single entity in terms of both production and cultivation," he said. | |
| Despite the overall increase, twice as many provinces are now drug-free in northern and central Afghanistan. | |
| The report says growing opium poppies is now closely linked to the insurgency and the instability in the south. | |
| And what is to be done? The report recommends more determined efforts to bring that security. | And what is to be done? The report recommends more determined efforts to bring that security. |
| It urges the government to get tough on corruption, which it says is driving the drugs trade and it lists poor governance, a weak judiciary and failing eradication programmes for these new frightening record levels. | It urges the government to get tough on corruption, which it says is driving the drugs trade and it lists poor governance, a weak judiciary and failing eradication programmes for these new frightening record levels. |