Afghanistan remains a major producer of narcotics, with Türkiye serving as a key transit route for Afghan drugs bound for Europe, according to a new report by Türkiye’s anti-narcotics police.
The report, titled Drugs in Türkiye 2025, says the Balkan route, which runs from Afghanistan through Iran and Türkiye into Europe, remains the most frequently used corridor for trafficking Afghan-origin opiates. It also highlights southern and northern routes passing through Türkiye as major pathways for drug smuggling.
According to the report, Türkiye’s strategic location places it among the leading countries for seizures of Afghan-origin heroin destined for European markets, the Turkiye Interior Ministry said.
While the report does not specify the total volume of Afghan-origin drugs seized in Türkiye, available data show that more than 15 tonnes of heroin were confiscated in the country between 2022 and 2024.
The report notes that the Taliban’s return to power and their ban on poppy cultivation have reduced cultivation levels and opiate production in Afghanistan. However, it says the country remains the world’s largest supplier of illicit drugs.
According to the report, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, recorded at 10,800 hectares in 2023, rose by 19 percent in 2024. It adds that continued strict enforcement of the Taliban’s poppy ban could have significant consequences both within Afghanistan and in major global markets for illegal opiates.
The report also identifies Afghanistan, Morocco, Pakistan and Lebanon as major global producers and suppliers of powdered cannabis, and says Afghanistan is a primary source of methamphetamine production and trafficking.
However, it does not provide specific figures on methamphetamine seizures in Türkiye linked to Afghan production.
Türkiye is a major transit country between Asia and Europe, and authorities have repeatedly warned that regional instability and drug production in Afghanistan continue to pose serious challenges for international counter-narcotics efforts.
