The United States Ambassador to Afghanistan reported in December 2009 that up to $10 Million in opium money is being funneled to the United Arab Emirates every day.

Source:  Zawya Dow Jones, “FOCUS: Dubai’s Dark Side Exposed By Al Mabhouh Killing,” Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2010.

Between 2007 and 2008, a human smuggling gang was smuggling people from Iraq into the United Kingdom and charging $10,500 (7,500 British Pounds) a person. The gang, who authorities believe smuggled 1,000 people into the country, would often charge up to $21,000 (14,000 British Pounds) to people who were desperate to leave Iraq.

Source:  Peter Allen, “‘Baghdad ring’ of people-smugglers ‘helped hundreds of migrants sneak into Britain’ ,” Telegraph, March 4, 2010.

In 2009, Dubai customs seized more than a hundred cultural artifacts that were smuggled from Iraq.

Source:  Tamara Walid, “Dubai foils new attempt to smuggle Iraq artefacts,” Reuters, February 10, 2010.

After the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, 15,000 items were stolen or looted from the National Museum of Iraq.

As of February 2010, only 6,000 items have been returned.

Source:  Tamara Walid, “Dubai foils new attempt to smuggle Iraq artefacts,” Reuters, February 10, 2010.

Iran’s Anti-Drug Police Squad stated that drug trafficking within the country creates $8.5 Billion in damages every year.

Source:  “Drug trafficking inflicts $8.5bn of damage on Iran’s economy annually,” Tehran Times, January 31, 2010.

According to economist Omar Shaban, tunnels under Gaza are believed to trade between $20 to $25 Million worth of goods a month and supply up two-thirds of all products on sale in Gaza.

Source:  Heather Sharp, “Smuggling fuels Gaza’s stalled economy,” BBC News, December 31, 2009.

In 2008, 630 arrest warrants were issued against officials suspected of corruption in Iraq, but only 97 people were convicted.

In addition, 135 cases of corruption involving 211 people who were mostly from the Oil Ministry were closed down by the decision of senior officials.

Source:  “Iraq chases many for corruption, catches few,” Reuters, December 23, 2009.

14 tons of Afghan heroin and 450 tons of Opium was consumed in Iran in 2008.  The level of consumption made Iran the world’s biggest consumer of opium in 2008.

Source:  Associated Press, “UN: Afghan drug flow wreaks global havoc,” Google News, October 21, 2009.

The managing director of the Iranian Tobacco Company stated in 2009 that around 6.5 billion cigarettes are smuggled into Iran each year.

Source:  Mehr News Agency, “Cigarette, drug smuggling on the rise in Iran,” Payvand Iran, August 27, 2009.

Intelligence organizations state that in 2009, there were at least 150 different organizations that was involved in drug smuggling and human trafficking in Iran.

Source: Muhammad Asghar, “150 gangs of drug, human smugglers unearthed,” Dawn.com, October 5, 2009.