Documents seen by TOLOnews show that millions of dollars and hundreds of hundreds of kilograms of gold have been smuggled out of Afghanistan.
 
According to the documents, in one case, 66 million dollars and 329 kilograms of gold were smuggled through Hairatan Port to Uzbekistan and then to the United Arab Emirates and on to Kazakhstan.
 
Sources told TOLOnews that a number of lawmakers and politicians in collaboration with the government officials are smuggling US cash and gold from Hairatan Port.
 
Based on the documents, which have been confirmed by credible government sources, in the first three months of 2021, 329 kg of gold, worth 59.6 million dollars, was smuggled abroad.
 
Sources at Sarai Shahzada (Kabul’s main exchange center) have said that each day various currencies more than 8 million dollars are being smuggled to Uzbekistan and then on to other countries.
 
“Illegal circles are involved in transferring money from Afghanistan outside the country; the government has failed to prevent this trend,” said Sayed Ekram Afzali, the head of Integrity Watch Afghanistan.
 
“There are people inside the parliament who are involved in smuggling gold and money—there are also people within the government who are involved in the smuggling of money and national assets,” said Abdul Sattar Hussaini, a member of parliament.
 
A member of parliament’s finance and budget commission has said that the commission held several meetings with the Ministry of Finance to address the issue; however, nothing has been done so far.
 
“The black money is made white here and then provided to the armed opponents and then the money is used in terrorist attacks,” said MP Jawed Safai.
 
Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers have said that the mafia circles by transferring the money abroad are seeking to launder the currency. 
 
The Ministry of Finance so far has not commented.
 
Sources in Tajikistan meanwhile said that last November the Tajikistan police seized 90 kilograms of gold and 15 million dollars.
 
According to the sources, Mirza Mohammad Katawazai, the former deputy speaker of parliament, in a meeting with senior officials of Tajikistan requested the release of the seized assets.
 
But Katawazai has rejected the allegations.