Anonymous Comrade writes:

Britain Launches Five-Day Anti-Narcotics Training Program for Afghan Police

AP World Politics, Thu Dec 12, 2002, 10:07 AM ET

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/ 20021212/ap_wo_en_po/as_gen_afghan_britain_drugs_1

KABUL, Afghanistan -- British customs officers began an anti-narcotics
training program Thursday for police struggling to fight the drug trade in
Afghanistan, which produces more opium than any other
country, the British Embassy said.

Four British officers launched the five-day training course at the police
academy in Kabul in the presence of Afghan Interior Minister Taj Mohammed
Wardak, the embassy said in a statement.

"The aim is to provide Afghan police officers with information on drug
trafficking and trends, identification of drugs, forensic issues, surveillance and
search techniques as well as information collation, evidence gathering and
record keeping," the statement said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Alishah Paktiawal said 46 Afghan police officers
were participating in the program.

According to the U.N. Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, opium
production this year has been estimated at about 3,400 tons — the highest in
the world.

The Taliban used their harsh brand of rule to force poppy growers to end
production, but after the collapse of the rigid Islamic militia, farmers returned to
opium production. Poppies are the crimson red flowers from which opium is
extracted and refined into heroin.

Most of the heroin manufactured out of Afghan-produced opium ends up on
European streets.