The Heroin Warlord of Pakistan: Armed Tribesman, the CIA, & a Smuggling Empire
Summary
This episode details the rise of Ayub Afridi, an illiterate truck driver who built a massive heroin empire in Pakistan's lawless Khyber Pass during the Soviet-Afghan War. Hosts Danny Gold and Sean Williams explore how Afridi leveraged the region's smuggling infrastructure and tribal autonomy to become a political figure and drug lord. The story covers the historical context of the Golden Crescent, the influx of opium production, and Afridi's eventual negotiation with the DEA, setting the stage for his American operations.
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