US forces destroyed $80m of Taliban's drug money in Afghanistan

In a move to cripple the Afghanistan's insurgent group, the United States carried out raids on their revenue stream and destroyed at least 80 million dollars in narcotics money as part of a campaign to target Taliban.

According to the Tolo News, the US military officials confirmed that a US-led coalition has eliminated 25 illegal drug-processing laboratories in southern Helmand province.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Lance Bunch, head of the Resolute Support's future operations division, reportedly said US President Donald Trump's new Afghan strategy gave the US-led coalition new permissions to target the Taliban's command-and-control nodes, illicit revenue-generating ventures, and logistical networks.

"This new air interdiction campaign directly strengthens the Afghan defense forces and their continued battlefield successes," he said.

Bunch pointed out that narcotics is a major source of revenue for Taliban as it receives at least USD 300 million to USD 400 million a year with almost $200 million of it coming from the production of heroin.

"They have been completely unable to achieve any objectives from their declared Operation Mansouri during this fighting season," Bunch said. "In addition to their unrealistic goals, they have been unable to take a provincial capital or even a single city.

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