U.S. President Donald Trump has listed 23 countries, including India and Pakistan, as “major drug trafficking nations.” The announcement came on September 15 in a presidential determination submitted to the U.S. Congress.
The countries named are Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Myanmar, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. According to the U.S. State Department, geographic location and economic factors have made these nations key hubs for drug production and trafficking. However, inclusion in the list does not necessarily mean these countries are failing to cooperate with U.S. counter-narcotics efforts.
Among them, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar, Colombia, and Venezuela have been labeled as “failing” in drug control efforts. The Trump administration accused them of not complying with international anti-narcotics agreements and failing to take effective measures.
Trump described China as the world’s largest supplier of precursor chemicals, fueling illegal fentanyl and synthetic drug production. He also noted that despite Taliban bans, Afghanistan continues to see significant drug storage and production, particularly of methamphetamine, which is being used to finance international crime and terrorism.
The U.S. president warned that the trafficking of deadly drugs, especially fentanyl, has created a “national emergency” in the United States, now the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 44.