# British, Canadian troops smuggling Afghan heroin: report



## Veiledal (12 Sep 2010)

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Sun. Sep. 12 2010 10:10 PM ET

Military police in Afghanistan are investigating unsubstantiated allegations that British and Canadian soldiers may have smuggled heroin out of the war-torn country.

According to a report published in British newspaper The Sunday Times, troops at the British base in Helmand province and the Canadian base at Kandahar Airfield may have been involved in trafficking the drug.

"We are aware of these allegations. Although they are unsubstantiated, we take any such reports very seriously," a British Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the newspaper.

In Ottawa, a National Defence spokesperson told CTV News the department is looking into the allegations.

Helmand province is one of the world's leading sources of opium which can be refined into heroin. Sales of the poppy derivatives generates millions of dollars each year, much of which goes to finance the Taliban.

original site with video http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20100912/afghanistan-heroin-smuggling-allegations-100912/

only allegations but what do you guys have to say about this


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## PuckChaser (12 Sep 2010)

Where did this report come from? Is the source credible? If it is true, I think its been stated before on other topics, but the CF is a microcosm of Canadian society. Some just can't stand up to the temptation of quick money.


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## The Bread Guy (13 Sep 2010)

The original British media account (highlights mine), shared in accordance with the Fair Dealing provisions (§29) of the _Copyright  Act_:


> *British soldiers suspected of heroin trafficking ring*
> _MoD tightens checks on troops returning from Afghanistan to RAF Brize Norton after a whistleblower tip-off of drug-smuggling network_
> David Leppard and Miles Amoore, The Times (UK), 12 Sept 10
> 
> ...


No link because it's subscriber only, but story attached as PDF.


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## PMedMoe (13 Sep 2010)

*Canada's military won't probe heroin allegations*

Canada's military won't investigate British media reports that Canadian soldiers are alleged to have smuggled heroin out of Afghanistan, sources told CBC News.

The military was reacting to reports Sunday in the Sunday Times and the BBC that Canadian and British troops have been sending large quantities of heroin out of Afghanistan on military aircraft taking troops back to Britain.

The heroin was then allegedly sold to drug traffickers for sale on the streets.

However, the military sources said Monday that following a thorough check with officials on the ground at Kandahar Air Field and through the chain of command, there are no allegations of Canadian heroin smuggling and will be no investigation of any smuggling.

The military sources called the reports a case of media speculation.

The Canadian military is due to issue an official statement shortly.

More at link


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## The Bread Guy (13 Sep 2010)

The CF's statement:


> The Canadian Forces are issuing the following statement in response to media reports alleging that Canadian Forces personnel are implicated in a British-led investigation into heroin smuggling in Afghanistan:
> 
> “Media reports this past weekend suggesting that Canadian Forces personnel have been implicated in a British-led investigation into heroin smuggling by military personnel in Afghanistan are unfounded.
> 
> ...



More from the Canadian Press....


> The Canadian military is casting doubt on reports in the British media that a heroin smuggling ring is being run out of Kandahar with the help of Canadian troops.  Capt. Annie Djiotsa, a spokeswoman for Task Force Kandahar, says officials are aware of allegations, but have yet to decide whether a full military police investigation will be launched ....



.... the _Toronto Star_ ....


> No Canadian soldiers “are implicated in the ongoing investigation” of heroin smuggling among troops in Afghanistan, the Department of National Defence said Monday.  The Sunday Times has reported that Canadian soldiers based at Kandahar airport and British soldiers at Camp Bastion in Helmand province are alleged to be organizing the smuggling.  “We’ve conferred with the Royal Military Police as well as our Canadian Forces military police contingent in Kandahar,” DND spokeswoman Jenn Gearey told the Star Monday morning.  The report back from Canadian Forces was that “none of their personnel are implicated,” Gearey said. “They didn’t know of any Canadians involved.  “If we feel an investigation is warranted, we’ll launch one.”  Gearey couldn’t say if any military is investigating the reports in the _Times_ ....



...and this comment from Postmedia News' Brian Hutchinson in Afghanistan:


> From London, a story has moved raising an allegation of heroin trafficking by British and Canadian troops on military bases, in Helmand province and here at Kandahar Airfield.
> 
> The lone allegation is sourced to an Afghan drug dealer named “Aziz.”
> 
> ...



_- edited to add CF statement and Hutchinson comment - _


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## xena (13 Sep 2010)

In my personal opinion, the best comment regarding this has come from our British equivalent (Arrse.co.uk):



> Please note that these are 'allegations' of an 'investigation'. Even the Daily Mail doesn't say that this is an actual story.
> 
> What it is, actually, is utter bollocks.
> 
> If anything, it's probably been dropped into the media sh*tpool by someone in authority, in order to let the Boys know that it's not worth even thinking about this.



Just my (and Old Snowy's)  2 kopecks.


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## Retired AF Guy (13 Sep 2010)

> “As I have heard, they are carrying these drugs in the military airlines and they can’t be reached because they are military. They can take it to the USA or England.
> 
> “I have heard this when I first started out from the guys who referred me to my boss.”



Bollocks!! *Unconfirmed information coming from a source of unknown reliability." In other words a suspect source.


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## 57Chevy (13 Sep 2010)

Simple bottom-of-the-barrel propaganda. 

"The checks are so extensive that the Ministry of Defence this weekend issued an apology to its personnel for the inconvenience being caused."

What next ?


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## SeanNewman (13 Sep 2010)

The CBC TV news coverage on it seemed a lot more balanced, not slanted/toned as anti-military as the internet stories read.


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## ModlrMike (13 Sep 2010)

Petamocto said:
			
		

> The CBC TV news coverage on it seemed a lot more balanced, not slanted/toned as anti-military as the internet stories read.



Until you get to the comments portion.


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