Article

2010-03-02 Africa North

Traffickers reportedly protected by terrorists near Mauritania-Mali border

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Posted by Fred 2010-03-02 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda in North Africa

#1 Why would anyone have tons of drugs in the middle of the Sahara Desert? Drug plants don't grow there, drug users don't live there (in any quantity). It's a logistically-challenged place to make 'manufactured' drugs. I don't understand.

Posted by Glenmore 2010-03-02 08:25|| 2010-03-02 08:25|| Front Page Top

#2 West Africa has been the way point of distribution for cocaine from South America and heroin probably from Afghanistan into Europe. Same for blood diamonds and weapons. There has been a clamp down at major ports so they adjust.

Posted by Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-03-02 09:20|| 2010-03-02 09:20|| Front Page Top

#3 Because the middle of nowhere is the only place left where you can move these massive quantities of drugs.

Posted by gromky 2010-03-02 09:48|| 2010-03-02 09:48|| Front Page Top

#4 Glenmore, we've had a couple of articles recently about the drug trade coming from Central/South America through Africa to the European market, with Hizb'allah and perhaps other terror groups taking a cut of the profits... and we already know the opium derivatives go from Afghanistan through Iran, with the Taliban taking a cut of those profits -- some of which may trickle into the pockets of Al Qaeda. But not much, because they've been begging for money from their subsidiaries for several years. D'you remember the letter they sent to Zarqawi when he was running Al Qaeda in Iraq?

Posted by trailing wife 2010-03-02 20:07|| 2010-03-02 20:07|| Front Page Top

#5 tw: it may be that "taliban central" has money but the affiliates may be money poor, or expected to pay for the privelige of owning a "Genuine Taliban Franchise."

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-03-02 21:41|| 2010-03-02 21:41|| Front Page Top

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