DEA in Afghanistan: The Early Years

In the late 1980s during the Afghanistan/Russian War, the poppy fields were flourishing and the poppies were being converted first to morphine, then into heroin, which found its way to the U.S. It is estimated that 50% of the U.S. heroin in 1987-88 originated in Afghanistan. DEA, acting on intelligence alongside the Mujahideen, raided over 15 operating heroin labs and seized and destroyed tons of heroin and morphine base. Retired Special Agent Chuck Carter provides insight into the inner workings of DEA in southwest Asia and the precursor to FAST units.