When one takes even a brief look at the record of each of Afghanistan’s infamous warlords, despite all efforts to conceal their crimes and boundless corruption, countless instances emerge that demand to be told and many stories remain to be recounted.
Continuing the exposure of Abdul Rashid Dostum’s disgraceful activities, this section of the series will address the smuggling and monopolization of natural resources by this fraudulent “marshal” a man who, alongside other warlords, has never hesitated to commit treason against his nation and has used every means at his disposal to fill his own pockets.
Jowzjan province, Dostum’s birthplace, is one of Afghanistan’s richest regions in terms of natural gas and mineral resources. Relying on his loyal mercenaries, Dostum maintained informal control of these resources for years, monopolizing the illegal extraction of gas and minerals through his mafia networks.
Numerous reports indicate that he seized and usurped fertile lands, mines, and gas facilities, bringing the local economy under his domination and amassing enormous wealth through these means.
Dostum also played a major role in the illegal gold trade, which was at times linked to narcotics transactions—activities that, over time, not only weakened the national economy but also entrenched corruption within the structures of the collapsed republican regime through his abuse of power, authority and influence.
Another of Dostum’s criminal endeavors was his extensive involvement in drug and arms trafficking. According to credible sources, he was considered one of the “drug princes” of northern Afghanistan, controlling the heroin routes from Mazar-i-Sharif and Jowzjan to Central Asia—particularly to Uzbekistan and Samarkand.
The rampant corruption and incompetence of the regime at the time allowed convoys carrying narcotics under his protection to cross the borders without any inspection. Alongside this, arms smuggling served as another major source of income for Dostum, enabling him to finance his private mercenaries—a vicious cycle of corruption and illicit trade that not only enriched him but also deepened instability and insecurity across the northern provinces.
In the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report published in 2016, widespread corruption was explicitly cited as one of the main causes of the Afghan government’s failure. The report emphasized that warlords like Dostum, through drug trafficking, land grabbing, illegal mining, and the plundering of natural resources, had rotted the foundations of the central government from within.
Dostum’s illegal and treacherous activities—from monopolizing natural resources to drug and arms trafficking—not only reveal his true face as one of Afghanistan’s most corrupt and ruthless political figures but also serve as a clear example of how the republic regime collapsed under the weight of corruption and its dependence on warlords.
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