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Watch The US Obliterate A Taliban Narcotics Factory [VIDEO]

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Jonah Bennett Contributor
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The U.S. military struck seven Taliban drug labs in Afghanistan over the weekend to cut off financial support for the terror group’s operations.

One of the strikes took place in Northern Helmand Province and absolutely obliterated the narcotics production facility.

The U.S. used F22A Raptors, B52 bombers and Hellfire missiles from drones to take care of business.

WATCH:

The narcotics production facilities are designed to process poppy into opiate drugs, namely heroin.

Army Gen. John Nicholson, top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the strikes on the Taliban’s drug operations are only starting to rev up.

“Last night, we conducted strikes into Northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts: their financing,” Nicholson said. “Increasingly, the Taliban have become a criminal organization. They fight, so they can keep profiting from their criminal activities: narco-trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping and murder for hire.”

The Taliban produces up to 85 percent of the world’s opium, and as such, contributes to the global health problem of opioid addiction. The trade is a lucrative one. Estimates place the amount of cash the Taliban receives at about $200 million, which constitutes roughly 60 percent of the group’s revenue.

“Our combined operations over the last 24 hours are a demonstration of our will to defeat terrorists and those who support them, especially the narcotics networks,” Nicholson said. “This operation involved thorough preparation to gain deep insights into Taliban narcotic processing labs and their locations. Never before have we had the kind of trust and cooperation that makes these types of strikes possible.”

The U.S. immediately started gathering intelligence on these narcotics factories after receiving additional authorities this summer to conduct these strikes.

In past years, the U.S. has spent about $8 billion fighting opium production with limited success.

Afghan Gen. Abdul Khalil Bakhtiar, head of the counternarcotics police, said in 2016 that the Taliban had about 400-500 labs and also that his forces had destroyed around 100. However, Bakhtiar noted that the Taliban can put up a lab in about a day, making them difficult to eradicate.

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