Taliban Global Revenues Money Laundering

Context

The Taliban are the world's biggest heroin producers with a total revenue of about $3 billion per year, military and geopolitical power. Supply and demand is predominantly met by independent traffickers with roots in local markets and gateways around the world, who pocket an aggregated profit margin of about 8000% (According to UNODC data, the Taliban in AfPak get only about 5 percent)

Game changers

Afghanistan announced on 28 January 2010 its intention of taking charge of the "majority of operations in the insecure areas of Afghanistan within three years and taking responsibility for physical security within five years". The insecure areas produce the largest crop of opium.

The growing political unrest, uprisings, insurgencies in the MENA and an ongoing heroin addiction epidemic in Russia are reason to reconsider the money laundering and trafficking routes. In particular the traditional route from Helmand, through Pakistan, to Iran.

Time to secure a big chunk of the revenues in-house

To escape the expensive connections of the presidency in Kabul, the Taliban starts financial business units in politically friendly countries, later followed by opening an "official political office" in Qatar with the support of the U.S.

Being the biggest, leads to unparalleled knowledge of distribution channels and risks. Knowledge that since 2010 is applied to design, tweak and control a wholly owned chain of distribution with the Lowest Probability of Detection . Thus staying under the radar of the authorities, increasing their reach in to new (niche) markets, while retaining a big chunk of the revenues in-house(*).

Case

Unsuspected and unimpeachable "upper-class"

On routes from Asia packets of white heroin are smuggled in the luggage of "mules" . This refined* heroin* is exclusively sold behind a veil of private "health and beauty" clinics in cosmopolitan cities, where an unsuspected and unimpeachable "upper-class" experience heroin under medical supervision.

Big brands consumer electronics hiding illegal drug trade profits

The illegal proceeds are used to import "misappropriated" shipments of the most popular consumer electronics (... iPhone iPad ...) to stock discount outlets* , where big brands are sharply priced.

"Legally sold" in the context of officially registered companies*, the phisical and internet (B2B platforms e.g. gsmEchange.com) outlets* are tuned to the statistics of similar retail businesses in the area. Owners* and management* comply with industry rules/regulations and business legislation.

Significance of one in-house controlled business unit

To indicate the significance of one in-house controlled destination in Europe, consider one business week derived from the bookkeeping and customs documents: One packet of white heroin cost 1.000 and was sold for 80.000. An imported shipment of iPhone's, iPad's and Blackberry's was valued at 200.000 and sold for 550.000.

With yearly revenues* over 25.000.000 per unit , and hundreds of active units globally,the 240.000 operational cost of the business unit are negligible.

Follow the "fixed values"

After cost, the balance is invested in a mix of "fixed value" transnational services. In this case Satellite Bandwidth minutes , prepaid credits for mobile and IP services. Both are considered anonymous until ownership is registered to harmless end users.

In the ungoverned but liquid global market the minutes and credits are cleared as B2B financial derivatives, also by Taliban friendly or controlled telecom providers*.

Revenues do not return to the AfPak region

The main stream is transferred to Taliban controlled companies* in The Gulf (Qatar) with an unrestricted access to the international infrastructure and a focus on the communications and finance industry.

Secondary streams of transfers are tracked to MENA, West Africa, central Africa, east Africa and niche areas in Asia.

High stakes, maximum security

Even though their multinational business* format operates with the lowest probability of detection, a seemingly insignificant indication of a possible detection by local authorities resulted in immediate action. - November 2014

While stakeholders* instantly leave abroad, it is not uncommon that houses, commercial premises are set on fire and potential witnesses are killed.

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First Published By Ultrascan-AGI in 2008, Ultrascan Humint in 2012, Ultrascan-research March 2015

Taliban Common Denominator of ISIS Allies

Al Qaeda controlled its insurgencies in various ways but also through their primary foreign sources of funding.

These specific financiers are the Taliban and devout Muslim Sheiks from the Gulf, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar who believe that the centuries old Sunni political Utopia of a state and recreation of the Caliphate is within reach.

The same Caliphate in al Qaeda's mission statement

When groups pledge allegiance to the Caliph of the Islamic State, the primary financiers continue to be common denominator as sponsor of these and new groups. An overarching criminal context for anti money laundering and counter terrorism operations.

Also read:
The financial strength of the Taliban and the Hezbollah money laundering service - 8 January 2012

HUMINT from inside Hezbollah Counterfeit Pharma Terrorism Business - July 2014

January 2020 - Alert!

Iran 2020 - Alert!

It's impossible to overstate the significance of General Qasem Soleimani's killing!

Taking out the spymaster who was successfully building an empire across the shiite crescent.

For Iran this means a long term degrading of a strategic capability.

General Soleimani was the real boss of Hezbollah.
With his death Iran not just lost control over its international organized crime, money laundering and terrorism organization.

General Esmail Ghaani - New spymaster QUD Force Iran IRGC

The roots with Hezbollah run deeper than that. His death is disrupting their global operations and across the region.

General Esmail Ghaani of Quds Force is the new spymaster. With as specialty counter intelligence.

His remit was east of Iran like Afghanistan and Pakistan where he gained influence with the Taliban and al Qaeda (affiliates).

Threats from Iran are usually veiled by proxies.

The people of Iran were emotionally raided by the killing of General Soleimani.

Possible Head of State assassination plot - Trunp

Therefore revenge attacks will only be effective if straightforward, within the military realm and/or in any way establish...

"SHOCK and AWE"

Assassination of a head of state

or

"Microwaves from the Sky"

falls in that category and within Iran's capabilities

The USA will relapse into the usual political dilly-dally!

"Seemingly" unwilling to support aggressive steps when necessary.

By doing so, it is leaving its allies in the Middle East and western Europe at their own peril!

An opportunity for aggressors to show off their most devastating and geopolitically disruptive weapons.

The damage will be done and to (avoid or) revenge such attacks by Iran, a topple of their government is in the intelligence cards.

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