Afghans defy warnings as poppy season opens

AFGHANISTAN: Thousands of men and boys, some as young as 10, gathered to seek work harvesting the opium crop recently. The Afghan police have arrested hundreds of them and tasked them with clearing the poppy fields.. Police have given a stark warning for anyone planning to work on the opium poppy fields: “This practice is a crime, we will punish anyone who tries to break the law.” But in a country where corruption is rampant even among higher-ranking officials, the proceeds from poppies not only fill the Taliban’s pockets -- they also lure local law-enforcement officers.

AFP