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Inside the South African drug deal that exposed an alleged Afghan trafficker and his ‘Taliban ties’ artwork

Inside the South African drug deal that exposed an alleged Afghan trafficker and his ‘Taliban ties’

Daily Maverick
E11904:37
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Show notes

A confidential US Drug Enforcement Administration source bought a methamphetamine sample in a Johannesburg parking lot in December 2024, evidence now central to a federal case against former Afghan politician Abdul Zahir Qadeer. Qadeer, once a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force, was arrested in Kenya in April 2025 and extradited to the United States, where he faces charges of conspiring to traffic narcotics and heavy weapons internationally. Journalist Caryn Dolley traces South Africa's role in the case, drawing on a DEA agent's criminal complaint. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Anda Tolibadi Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:58 Who Is Abdul Zahir Qadeer 01:48 South Africa’s Role in the Investigation 02:10 The DEA’s Confidential Source 03:17 The Methamphetamine Sample Order 03:39 10 December 2024: The Parking Lot Handover 04:31 Case Significance You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including YouTube, Apple Podcast and Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DailyMaverickSA/videos Follow us on X : https://x.com/dailymaverick Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailymaverick Check our website: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ Check out our TikTok page: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Download Daily Maverick Mobile App: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/daily-maverick-app/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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