UNODC: Opium prices in Afghanistan near historic peaks, mostly benefiting large-scale traffickers
UNODC: Opium prices in Afghanistan near historic peaks, mostly benefiting large-scale traffickers
Prices for opium in Afghanistan skyrocketed to US $750 per kilogram in 2024, according to a new brief released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today. This represents a tenfold increase from the US $75/kg price in 2022, before Afghanistan's de-facto authorities imposed a drugs ban.
The post-ban decrease in production has led to a decline in opiate trafficking, with both heroin and opium seizures down about 50 per cent in weight since 2021. Despite the lower trade volumes, the high price per kilogram ensures massive profits are still being made, primarily benefiting high-level traders and exporters in organized crime groups. Moreover, opiate stocks at the end of 2022 were estimated to have totaled 13,200 tons – enough to potentially meet demand for Afghan opiates until 2027. (UNODC, Wien, 12.03.2025)
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/releases/2025/March/unodc_-opium-prices-in-afghanistan-near-historic-peaks--mostly-benefiting-large-scale-traffickers.html