MANHATTAN (CN) - Federal prosecutors say they have arrested a major heroin trafficker who used his profits to help the Taliban. Haji Juma Khan was arraigned Friday before a federal judge in New York. His organization allegedly moved multi-ton loads of morphine base collected from Afghani poppies.
The U.S Attorney's Office announced Khan's arrest and arraignment. It is unclear where he was arrested, though prosecutors thanked Turkish and British law enforcement agencies for their cooperation. Khan's organization allegedly processed poppies into morphine base in Helmand and Kandahar provinces in Afghanistan. The Taliban are said to be financed in part by drug traffickers, who pay the group for protection.
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