According to the latest World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC-Vienna), the fourth highest seizure of opium in 2018 was reported from India, after Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The maximum of 644 tonnes of opium was seized in Iran, followed by 27 tonnes in Afghanistan and 19 tonnes in Pakistan. In India, the figure stood at four tonnes in 2018.
Heroin seizure
Iran reported the highest seizure of heroin (25 tonnes), followed by Turkey, United States, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Heroin is manufactured from the morphine extracted from the seed pod of opium poppy plants.
India was at the 12th position in the world with 1.3 tonnes seizure.
Opium Production
Opium is illicitly produced in about 50 countries.
Close to 97% of the total global production of opium in the past five years came from only three countries.
About 84% of the total opium was produced in Afghanistan, from where it is supplied to neighbouring countries, Europe, west Asia, south Asia and Africa. A small percentage also reaches North America and the Oceania region.
Myanmar accounts for 7% of the global opium production.
Mexico accounts for 6% of the global opium production
The global area under opium poppy cultivation declined for the second year in a row in 2019.
Source: The Hindu
CLICK HERE FOR DAILY STANDARD CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ
