AFGHANISTAN'S OPIUM PROBLEM

Opium poppies are being grown across record areas of Afghanistan, according
to an annual United Nations survey. That is despite a major international
effort, led by Britain, to try to tackle the problem. Ninety percent of the
heroin on Britain's streets comes from Afghanistan. So far the big smugglers
have been beyond the reach of the authorities. In the Afghan capital Kabul,
trucks rumble along one of its main streets. Afghanistan has few roads -
much of the country's opium has to pass through the capital before finding
its way as heroin onto the streets of Europe and America.

Only option

The latest figures show production is booming. Some 1,300 square kilometres
were used to grow poppies this year, an all time high. Doris Buddenberg runs
the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime in Afghanistan. She says many
farmers have little option. "Afghanistan is a very poor country and
particularly through the war the rural areas were very affected," she says.
"They need cash for very simple goods and needs, school books for children,
clothing, tea which is a staple here. Opium is the cash crop." Growing opium
is a low-risk occupation and selling it is rarely punished by the
authorities.

Drug barons

Pul-e-Charki jail near Kabul is an imposing grey stone fortress on a dusty
plain surrounded by craggy brown mountains. Many of the prisoners here are
inside for drugs offences. High unemployment and poverty force many to turn
to drug cultivation But without exception they are small time smugglers and
dealers. In a country where opium production makes up a huge proportion of
the economy the big drugs barons are getting away scot free. Kochi has been
inside for four months and says he is innocent. "From where I'm seeing it
these drugs barons have connection with the government and that's why
they're never arrested. "I think if the government took it seriously they
could arrest the big guys rather than teasing small people like me," he
says.

Fighting force

In another part of Kabul, new recruits to the Central Poppy Eradication
Force are put through their paces. Afghanistan's government says the force
is evidence that it is stepping up the fight against opium. Ironically it
was only during the Taleban's five-year rule that production actually
declined. The commander, Lt Gen Zahir Aghbar, has been visiting
opium-producing provinces to warn they are on their way. "My message to the
dear farmers of Afghanistan is to keep away from the smugglers, from those
who are bringing a bad name to Afghanistan so they could not be accused of
committing a crime," Lt Gen Aghbar says. "You're armed to the teeth, you've
got a cosh, a bayonet, an AK47 assault rifle. It's less policing, its more
like a war taking on these drugs barons," says one of his men. "The drugs
phenomenon is against both Sharia law and humanity. So we are going to fight
that. We are going both as police and fighters and if anyone challenges us
we will defeat them," says another. Neither of them wanted to be named. The
recruits dived on the ground rehearsing an attack. The gunfire was only in
their imagination - soon it could be for real.