Afghanistan has again topped the list of the world's biggest narcotics producers with drug smugglers using a route through India more than in previous years, according to the US State Department.
The annual report on global trends in the illegal narcotics trade confirmed that Afghanistan retains its position as the world's top opiate producer.
It also said that the drugs smuggled in 2012 through India from Afghanistan are increasing via Pakistan.
Afghan Counter-Narcotics Deputy Minister Mohammad Ibrahim Azhar said the smugglers were finding new ways of transferring the drugs out of Afghanistan, namely a
"Because of some threats by Iran and Turkey countries in the border regions, the smugglers have changed their way of transferring drugs. Now they smuggle via Pakistan to another countries," he told TOLOnews Wednesday.
According to the Ministry, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan increased 18 percent from 2011 to 2012, but drug production dropped 40 percent mainly because of the government's poppy eradication drive whereby government and security forces physically destroy farmers' poppy crops.
Most of Afghanistan's poppy cultivation happens in the south and west areas of Afghanistan, both for its suitable climate and in areas where security is more lax.