Journalist focusing on illicit drug trade. Author of Narcosphere newsletter and blog. RT ≠ endorsements.
Articles by Rupert Stone
Trump pardons Honduran leader; US strikes another drug boat, probes allegation earlier strike targeted survivors; son of El Chapo pleads guilty in US; Myanmar opium cultivation highest in a decade
TOP STORIES: Trump frees Honduran leader convicted on cocaine charges (Reuters) Hegseth ordered second strike on suspected drug boat that killed survivors (WashPo) US military conducts strike on another suspected drug boat as probe into the first strike begins (AP) Son of Mexican drug lord ‘El Chapo’ pleads guilty to narcotics trafficking (France24) Myanmar opium cultivation hit highest level in a decade, UN report says (AP) Thanks for reading Narcosphere by Rupert Stone! Subscribe for free...
New Trump Venezuela ops imminent; Maduro-led 'cartel' gets terror label; massive cocaine bust in Colombia; cannabis health claims lack evidence; big meth haul in Delhi; US pressures India on fentanyl
TOP STORIES: US to launch new phase of Venezuela operations, sources say (Reuters) US labels Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist group led by Maduro (AP) Trump says land operations against Venezuela drugs gangs to start ‘very soon’ (Sky News) 14 tons of cocaine seized at Colombia port, largest bust in a decade (CBS) JAMA study finds ‘insufficient evidence’ for most cannabis health claims (Washington Times) 328 kg of crystal meth seized in Delhi, one of the biggest ever seizures...
US strikes another alleged drug boat; Trump threatens action in Mexico & Colombia; UN cocaine report disputed by Colombia; murder on the streets of Marseille; huge meth hauls in southwest Asia
TOP FIVE: US strikes another alleged drug boat in the Pacific Trump threatens action in Mexico and Colombia Colombia disputes UN cocaine production findings Brother of anti-drug activist shot in Marseille Two huge crystal meth seizures in southwest Asia Thanks for reading Narcosphere by Rupert Stone! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Will China really help end America's fentanyl crisis?
I have a new piece out at the Lowy Institute assessing the recent US-China fentanyl agreement, which saw President Xi pledge to restrict chemicals used in illicit opioid manufacture in return for tariff reductions from Trump. Beijing was quick to implement this agreement, restricting thirteen chemicals last week. But will this deal really help? A bit, but not much.
Marijuana legalization has been a disaster
On the day the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed into law in 2021, the man who was to become mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, made the following statement: “I’m proud to be here today to debate the adult use of marijuana – also known as loud, Sour D, herb, Mary Jane, kush, green, pot, weed, zaza, a jazz cigarette and marijuana.
CIA in Afghanistan; US boat strikes; UK suspends US intel-sharing; China restricts precursors; huge Panama cocaine haul; Chinese chemicals fuelling meth in Asia; drug trade & use expanding globally
China announces restrictions on chemicals after deal with Trump on fentanyl tariffs (AP) • U.S. military blows up 2 more alleged drug boats in Pacific, killing 6 “narco-terrorists,” Pentagon chief says (CBS) • UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break (CNN) • 13 tons of cocaine bound for the U.S. seized from ferry in Pacific, Panama says (CBS) • China’s chemical exports are behind a ‘tsunami’ of meth flooding Asia (Washington Post) • Global drug...
The US-China fentanyl deal will not stop America’s opioid crisis
At his recent meeting with Donald Trump in South Korea, China’s President Jinping Xi agreed to help stem the export of precursor chemicals used in the production of deadly synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. In return, Trump slashed tariffs by 50%. Progress was quick. This week Beijing formally announced that it would be restricting 13 additional chemicals. A joint working group is also being established to tackle the drug issue. In adopting this approach, Trump has revived the Biden playbook.
A major development in the global drugs trade
Opium cultivation has expanded dramatically in Pakistan this year and has also spread to parts of Iran, while remaining low in Afghanistan, I report for Nikkei Asia. The spread of opium out of Afghanistan to neighbouring countries appears to be a textbook example of the ‘balloon effect’, whereby restrictions on narcotics in one place cause the industry to shift to another. In this case, it is not just the opium that has moved, but the Afghan farmers who cultivate it.
Big meth & heroin busts in the Arabian Sea; Mexico lacks medical fentanyl; tranq has reached Mexico and the UK; large meth haul in Tehran; cocaine seizures in Turkiye & Spain
TOP STORIES: Nearly two tonnes of drugs, including meth and heroin, seized in the Arabian Sea in a single day (Navy.mil) Mexico, a leading producer of illicit fentanyl, can’t get enough for medical use, study finds (AP) Mexico sounds alarm over 'zombie drug' (xylazine) sedative in opioids (Reuters) One tonne of crystal meth seized in Iranian capital (IRNA) Türkiye reports third-largest cocaine seizure of more than 600 kg (TRT) Spanish police seize 16.5 tonnes of cocaine concealed as tiny...
Biden & Xi discuss fentanyl; CIA seeks expanded counternarcotic powers; Mexican meth goes global & dominates Australian market; huge opiate seizure in Iran; Europol report on organised crime in EU
Thanks for reading Narcosphere by Rupert Stone! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
UN's annual drug meeting wraps up; massive cocaine hauls in Africa & Bolivia; huge opium seizure in SE Iran; European study shows rising cocaine use; UK bans more opioids but was too slow to act
TOP STORIES: 23 new substances/precursors placed under international control; 4 resolutions passed at 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNODC) French Navy seizes more than 10 tonnes of cocaine in Gulf of Guinea, the biggest ever haul off the coast of West Africa (Bloomberg) Bolivia seizes more than 7.2 tons of cocaine destined for Belgium in second-biggest drug bust (Reuters) More than 3.5 tons of opium discovered in southeast Iran (IRNA) European wastewater study reveals...
Blinken opioid warning & fentanyl in Madrid; Chinese groups dominate US marijuana; Colombia's cocaine record; huge crystal meth bust in Laos; annual UN meeting in Vienna; Australian drug use surges
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts
Fentanyl use spreads in Mexico; big meth hauls in Myanmar; India targets meth precursors; Iran seizes opiates & says Afghan drug trade continues; Germany legalises cannabis; record UK cocaine bust
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts
American doctor wanted fentanyl lollipops; smoking deadlier than injecting; big meth hauls in Mexico, Ireland; US indicts El Mayo for fentanyl; Spanish cocaine bust; new report on Ukraine drug trends
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts
This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts
Record meth haul in Canada; US-China fentanyl talks 'productive'; allegations against Mexican president; big cocaine seizure in Peru; meth, heroin most-used drugs in Iran; Dubai seizes Asian heroin
TOP STORIES: Over 400 kg of meth seized at Boissevain port of entry, a record for Canada’s Prairie Region (Government of Canada) US-China fentanyl talks off to a ‘productive’ start, security advisor says (CNBC) Did drug traffickers funnel millions of dollars to Mexican President López Obrador’s first campaign?
US, China talk fentanyl; Bolivia & Ecuador break cocaine records; big meth, ketamine hauls in Myanmar & Cambodia; new EU report on heroin & opioids; nitazenes disguised as ecstasy in Australia
TOP STORIES: U.S., China officials to meet on curbing fentanyl supply (Washington Post) Bolivia seized record amount of cocaine in 2023, up 62% on the previous year (Insight Crime) Ecuador discovers 22 tons of cocaine, the largest seizure in its history, with bricks of drugs marked with the names of airlines they were destined for (El Pais) 980 kg of ketamine and 532 kg of crystal meth seized in Cambodia, trafficked from Laos and headed for Taiwan (Straits Times) 175 kg of heroin, more than...
Fentanyl in Chile & India; Tons of cocaine seized from narcosub by Colombia & Ecuador; Big meth busts in Myanmar & Cambodia; Cocaine seizures at Antwerp break new record; Ukraine war fuelling drug use
TOP STORIES: Two fentanyl seizures in Chile in one week (El Mostrador) Colombia, Ecuador intercept submarine smuggling tons of cocaine in Pacific waters (AFP) More than a tonne of meth seized near Cambodia-Laos border (Khmer Times) 2 tonnes of crystal meth seized in Shan State, Myanmar (Xinhua) Indian doctor allegedly diverted fentanyl from hospital pharmacy in Hyderabad (New Indian Express) Record amount of cocaine seized at port of Antwerp in 2023, authorities say (BBC) War in Ukraine...
Ecuador battles drug gangs; big Malaysian meth haul; Thailand re-bans cannabis; opium seized in SE Iran; more nitazene ODs in Ireland; Russian cocaine seizure; huge meth bust in Fiji
TOP STORIES: Ecuador battles drug gangs behind surge of violence (Reuters) Malaysian authorities seize 528 kg of methamphetamine smuggled from Thailand and hidden in tea bags (NST) Thailand moves to ban recreational cannabis use, 18 months after historic decriminalization (CNN) Over 1.2 tonnes of opium seized in southeast Iran (Mehr News) Further overdoses linked to nitazenes reported in Ireland (Irish Examiner) More than a ton of cocaine from Nicaragua seized in St Petersburg (Moscow Times)...
Fentanyl seized in South Africa; record cocaine hauls in Bolivia & Belgium; big crystal meth busts in Thailand & Sri Lanka; drug seizures in NE Iran almost double; nitazene overdoses in Ireland
TOP STORIES: Crystal meth and fentanyl disguised as artwork detected at Johannesburg airport headed for New Zealand (ENCA) Bolivia announces biggest-ever cocaine bust at nearly 9 tons, likely headed for the Netherlands (Reuters) 323 kg of crystal meth seized in northern Thailand (UNODC on X) More than 245 kg of heroin and crystal meth seized on fishing trawler off Sri Lankan coast (Sri Lanka Navy) Drug seizures in Iran’s northeastern province of Razavi Khorasan almost double on same period...
End-of-year drug seizure data: huge increase in Iraq, Iran seizes more Afghan-origin narcotics, record-breaking hauls in Hong Kong and India, unprecedented cocaine seizures in Ireland and Spain
TOP STORIES: Hong Kong drug seizures up 43% in 2023, highest level since records began (SCMP) Drug seizures in northeast Indian state of Mizoram jump by 50% in 2023, heroin seizures up to 33 kg this year from only 1.5 kg in 2022 (IndiaTV) Punjab police claim record amount of heroin seized in 2023 (Hindustan Times) Iran’s anti-narcotics chief reports 21% increase in Afghan-origin drug seizures in ten months (Tehran Times) Iraqi drug seizures rose tenfold in 2023 on the previous year (Rudaw)...
Super labs in Canada; Mexico's imaginary drug war; fentanyl in Malaysia; Golden Triangle crystal meth; drug crackdown in Sri Lanka; Israel thwarts smuggling attempt; Jordan seizes more captagon
TOP STORIES: Fentanyl super labs in Canada pose new threat for US opioid epidemic (Washington Post) Under US pressure over fentanyl, Mexico wages “imaginary war on drugs” (Reuters) 808 kg of suspected liquid fentanyl seized at Kuala Lumpur airport from Mumbai en route to Dubai, Malaysia subjecting substance to “confirmatory analysis” (The Star/UNODC on X) Over 2 tons of crystal meth, 800 kg of controlled chemicals seized in Shan State and Yangon Region (Xinhua) Sri Lanka arrests thousands,...
China acting against fentanyl; big haul at US-Mexico border; Matthew Perry & ketamine; fentanyl in Bolivia & Honduras; Myanmar world's top opium producer; record Thai meth bust; cocaine in Europe
TOP STORIES: Senior US official says China has taken “concrete actions” against fentanyl but too early to see results (SCMP) More than 1.6 tonnes of meth and cocaine seized in jalapeno paste shipment at US-Mexico border (ABC) Actor Matthew Perry died from the effects of ketamine, autopsy report says (AP) Bolivia reports first fentanyl seizure (La Razon) More than 22,000 fentanyl vials seized in Honduras on Guatemalan border, second big seizure in two months (Proceso) UN report finds Myanmar...
Weekly Newsletter: US cocaine seizures; Chinese nitazenes in US; fentanyl in Colombia; Beijing takes on fentanyl; crystal meth in Thailand; Taliban cracks down on meth; meth dominant at Indian ports
Discover more from Narcosphere by Rupert Stone A site about illicit drugs: their trade, their use, and efforts to control them.
Weekly Newsletter: Senegal cocaine haul - Women in Mexico's crime groups - Golden Triangle meth & ketamine - Indian assassination controversy - Britain bans more opioids - Iran seizure data
TOP STORIES: Senegal seizes more than 3 tonnes of cocaine from a ship in one of its largest drug busts (Africanews) Partners in Crime: The Rise of Women in Mexico’s Illegal Groups (Crisis Group) More than 14 million meth tablets destined for Thailand seized in Laos, drugs originated in Golden Triangle (Thai PBS World) 2.3 tonnes of ketamine from Shan State seized in Myanmar before being loaded onto a ship (Inshik Sim on X) Indian official allegedly directed plot to recruit international...
Weekly Newsletter: Ireland's biggest ever cocaine haul - UK's first drug consumption centre - boom time in the Golden Triangle - Afghan opium cultivation down 85% - Nigeria's role in global drug trade
TOP FIVE: Ireland’s biggest ever cocaine haul 2.2. tonnes of cocaine were seized recently from a vessel off the coast of Ireland, the largest seizure of the drug in the country’s history. The cocaine is suspected to have come from Colombia, supplied by the Clan del Golfo with the possible involvement of the Kinahan cartel.
Weekly Newsletter: Synthetic Drugs at UNGA - Cocaine in Europe - Thailand to Row Back Cannabis Legalisation - Taliban, US Discuss Counternarcotics - Cartels Among Mexico's Top Employers
TOP FIVE: Synthetic drugs at the UN General Assembly The US hosted an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly where representatives from governments, the EU, UN and private sector discussed the issue of synthetic drugs, which are a growing problem around the world, as multiple seizures of meth in the last week illustrate.
Weekly Newsletter: Captagon in Europe - Cocaine Keeps on Booming - US Opioid Crisis Coming to Britain? - El Chapo's Son Extradited to US - Contested UN Report on Afghanistan
TOP FIVE: Captagon in Europe A new report by the EU’s drug agency investigates trafficking of the amphetamine tablet, captagon, in Europe and finds significant transhipment from producer countries to destination markets in the Middle East via the European continent, although there is no consumer market for the drug there and minimal production.
Can US-China set aside differences and find middle ground?
Insight Political conditions in both countries are quite favourable for the two leaders to build positive momentum and minimise the chances of a bigger conflict between the global powers. US-China relations have deteriorated dangerously in recent months. The conflict between two superpowers, once a distant possibility, has become increasingly likely as tensions flare over Taiwan and other issues. The recent Bali bonhomie between presidents Biden and Xi was a welcome attempt to calm the waters.
The Lawfare Podcast: Rupert Stone on the Booming Afghan Drug Trade
Published by The Lawfare Institute in Cooperation With Amid the war and instability in Afghanistan over the last two decades, the opium industry has seen explosive growth. In fact, Afghanistan accounts for the vast majority of the world's opium supply. The Taliban vowed to crack down on the production of illicit drugs, and in March, they issued a total ban on opium cultivation, which has stripped many rural Afghans of their livelihoods.
Dismantlement of the Taliban regime is the only way forward for Afghanistan
Despite the US and NATO military withdrawal from Afghanistan last August, Washington and allies continue to struggle with their Afghanistan policy choices, unable to decide between options ranging from full normalization, containment, disengagement, confrontation, and others. This is thanks in no small part to the fact that the group remains shrouded in mystery in terms of their ideological, political, and organizational dynamics.
As Pakistan's Afghanistan policy fails, the Afghan Taliban moves against Islamabad
Pakistan’s decades-long interventionist policy regarding Afghanistan has failed. Islamabad’s long-standing objective—to have a dependent government in Kabul—has finally burned to the ground with the presently ruling Taliban who, instead of providing any strategic advantage or contributing to Pakistan’s security, has become a worrisome thorn in Islamabad’s side.
China is losing ground in Sri Lanka
The Chinese tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 has finally docked at Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka for replenishment after India and the United States tried, and ultimately failed, to persuade the local government to turn it away. The arrival of the massive vessel might seem like a victory for Beijing in this strategically important island nation.
For Tehran, Afghanistan is a problem not an opportunity
Last year when the Taliban seized Kabul, Iran did not oppose the move and even seemed to welcome the departure of US forces. President Ebrahim Raisi said that Washington’s defeat and withdrawal from Afghanistan provided “an opportunity to restore life, security and durable peace”. While western countries, along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and India, quickly abandoned their diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, Iran kept its embassy in Kabul and consulate in Herat open as the Taliban seized power.
Commentary: China is losing ground in Sri Lanka
ISTANBUL: The Chinese tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 has finally docked at Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka for replenishment after India and the United States tried, and ultimately failed, to persuade the local government to turn it away. The arrival of the massive vessel might seem like a victory for Beijing in this strategically important island nation.
China is losing ground in Sri Lanka
The Chinese tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 has finally docked at Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka for replenishment after India and the United States tried, and ultimately failed, to persuade the local government to turn it away. The arrival of the massive vessel might seem like a victory for Beijing in this strategically important island nation.
Silent Partner: Did Pakistan Help America Assassinate Zawahiri?
Lacking boots on the ground in Afghanistan, Washington’s reliance on Islamabad may now be greater than ever before. When announcing the U.S. airstrike that killed Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, President Joe Biden paid tribute to America’s “allies and partners.” He didn’t provide any names, but it is safe to assume that one of them was Pakistan, a troublesome but long-standing counterterrorism partner for the United States in Afghanistan.
China Won’t Save the Afghan Taliban
When Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi touched down in Kabul on March 24, 2022, he was by no means the first such official to visit Taliban-run Afghanistan: his counterparts from Qatar, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan had all traveled there since the August 2021 takeover. That China’s government would wait so long before dispatching its top diplomat is, in a sense, surprising.
China’s role in the smuggling of synthetic drugs and precursors
Twitter Join the conversation on Twitter using #NonstateArmedActors The U.S. opioid epidemic became particularly deadly when synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and its analogs, entered the U.S. market a decade ago. Faced with intense U.S. diplomacy, China moved between 2018 and 2019 to regulate fentanyl analogs and two fentanyl precursors. Yet this scheduling has not been sufficient to stem the flow of fentanyl to the United States.
Pakistan seizing “unprecedented” amount of drugs from Afghanistan
The Taliban vowed to ban drugs, but the trade appears to be booming under their rule. Seizures of illicit drugs at one of Pakistan’s main border crossings with Afghanistan have increased significantly in recent weeks to reach levels not seen before, according to the Pakistani government.
Record-breaking drug seizures point to pandemic narcotics boom
Narco-traffickers defied Covid-19 and now look set to reach new heights, as the stars are aligning for a further expansion of their trade. In mid-December, the authorities in Arizona intercepted more than 1.5 tons of methamphetamine coming from Mexico, the last in a line of record drug hauls around the world in recent months. Responding to the news, UN synthetic drugs expert Martin Raithelhuber tweeted that the size of meth seizures was “simply amazing”.
'Business as usual': Afghan drug trade continues under Taliban
While the Taliban insisted they would ban narcotic production, major seizures in the region indicate the trade hasn’t missed a beat. After seizing power in Afghanistan in mid-August, the Taliban insisted they would ban the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs. “We will not have any narcotics produced,” said spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at his first press conference in Kabul.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Tensions Persist After the Taliban Takeover
As the United States prepared to withdraw from Afghanistan earlier this year, I wrote that Pakistan should fear a Taliban takeover of the country. In the case of a Taliban takeover, sanctions would likely be imposed on a Taliban regime, impairing trade and investment and giving the already massive Afghan drug trade a further boost. Pakistan could also face heightened security risks from terror groups harbored by the Taliban, chiefly Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Western Dependence on Pakistan Is Not Going Away
Islamabad played a “double game” during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan by helping NATO’s military mission while secretly aiding the Taliban insurgency. American pundits and politicians grew increasingly irate at supposed Pakistani perfidy and called for sanctions to be imposed. But the West depended heavily on Pakistani assistance to pursue its military campaign and could not afford to alienate a key ally.
Emerging Afghan methamphetamine trade poses ‘threat’ to Europe
Authorities warn that Afghan meth could penetrate the European market due to its low price and the availability of pre-existing trafficking routes used to smuggle heroin. Europe needs to be “better prepared” for the threat posed by methamphetamine from Afghanistan, according to a new report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).
Biden was right to withdraw from Afghanistan
President Joe Biden has been widely criticised for his decision to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan. It was hard not to be shocked by the tragic and chaotic scenes that unfolded in Kabul in recent weeks. But while the withdrawal itself was mismanaged, the reasons for leaving remain strong. Critics of Biden’s decision argue that the NATO presence was low-cost and sustainable.
Al-Qaeda, Taliban and the history of the Mujahideen
Al-Qaeda and the Taliban were both born out of the fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which attracted hundreds of young idealistic men from across the Muslim world eager to join the frontline
Afghanistan: With Taliban in power, Iran and Gulf states will vie for influence
Following the Taliban’s stunning takeover of Afghanistan on 15 August, diplomats in Kabul braced for evacuation. Predictably, the US and other western missions quickly packed their bags; more surprisingly, the embassies of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also jumped ship.
Why Sanctioning Pakistan Wouldn’t Have Saved Afghanistan
As the Taliban rampaged through Afghanistan last week, seizing one provincial capital after another, irate Afghans took to Twitter to protest Pakistan’s support for the militant group. Spearheaded by Canada’s former ambassador in Kabul, Chris Alexander, the hashtag #SanctionPakistan became a rallying point for those exasperated with Islamabad’s role in Afghanistan’s collapse. Such demands are not new.
For China, Afghanistan is more of a problem than an opportunity
Beijing’s preeminent concern is unrest in neighbouring Afghanistan could have a detrimental impact on its economic interests in the region. In July, Taliban representatives met Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. This meeting, the most public and high-level between the two sides so far, seemed to show that Beijing was increasing its role in Afghanistan.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Rupert
Contact Rupert, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack