Highly potent synthetic opioids are already in Europe’s drug supply chains
Highly potent synthetic opioids are already in Europe’s drug supply chains
In defiance of expectations, Afghanistan’s ban on opium in 2022 appears not to have yet affected the European heroin trade, which shows a high level of stability and reported abundant stockpiles. Recent police operations reveal that heroin arrives hidden in trucks and cars via historical routes, such as from Central Asia across the Balkans, as well as less usual trafficking routes. For instance, in January 2024, Italian authorities arrested a Nigerian national who was trafficking heroin that reportedly originated from the Golden Triangle. This may hint towards diversified trafficking patterns, with Myanmar now being the main producer of opium globally. (Global Initiative against organized Crime, Genf, 05.12.2024)
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/highly-potent-synthetic-opioids-are-already-in-europes-drug-supply-chains/