Haji Bagcho

Hajji Bagcho Sherzai
Born 1954 (age 61–62)
Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
Nationality Afghan
Other names Haji Bagh Chagul, Haji Bagcho
Citizenship Afghanistan
Years active 1990s–June 2009
Known for Drug trafficking
Religion Islam
Criminal penalty life
Criminal status in Federal prison
Children Sucha Gul, eldest son[1]

Hajji Bagcho Sherzai, also known as Haji Bagh Chagul or Haji Bagcho (born 1954), is a convicted drug trafficker from Afghanistan who is currently serving a life sentence in U.S. Federal prison. He is accused by the United States for having ties with the Taliban. He was convicted on March 13, 2012, by a jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of conspiracy, distribution of heroin for importation into the United States and narco-terrorism.

It was alleged that Bagcho exported heroin to more than twenty different countries, including the United States. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. On June 12, 2012, a sentencing hearing is scheduled before Ellen Segal Huvelle in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.[2][3][4][5]

He is believed to have lived in the Marco village in Nangahar Province. He also owned a compound in Hayatabad, outside of Peshawar, Pakistan.[1] He is married and has several children. His eldest son is believed to be named Sucha Gul.

In June 2009, Baghcho was arrested in Afghanistan and extradited to USA.[6][7][8] Khadi Gul, his younger brother, denied that Bagcho had ever provided money to the Taliban.[9][10]

Bagcho, who has been involved in the drug trafficking business since at least the 1990s, was ordered to forfeit $254,203,032 (more than £160,000,000).[2][3][4][6][7][9]

With the help of cooperating witnesses, including Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), and ledgers which were found during searches of his house, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prepared a major criminal case. One ledger, cataloguing Bagcho's activities during 2006, reflected heroin transactions of more than 123,000 kilograms, worth more than $250 million, according to Bagcho's ledger.[5][6][11]

Bagcho used a portion of his drug proceeds to fund Taliban governor of Nangarhar Province and two Taliban commanders responsible for insurgent activity in eastern Afghanistan with cash, weapons and other supplies so that they could continue their "jihad" against western troops and the Afghan government.[2][3][4][5][6][7][11]

Based on heroin production statistics[12] compiled by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, in 2006, Bagcho's activities accounted for approximately 20% of the world’s total production for that year.[2][3][4][6][7]

As of June 2012, Bagcho is the second person to be convicted under the US narco-terrorism statute.[2][9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Afghan Biographies". Who is who in Afghanistan. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 TUCKER, ERIC (June 12, 2012). "Afghan heroin trafficker gets life in US prison". Associated Press. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Haji Bagcho Sentenced To Life in Prison on Narco-Terrorism, Drug Trafficking Charges - Funded Taliban, Responsible for Almost 20 Percent of World's Heroin Production, More Than a Quarter-Billion in Drug Proceeds, Property Forfeited". The Aiken Leader. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Haji Bagcho Sentenced to Life in Prison on Trafficking/Narco-Terrorism Charges". Surfky News. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  5. 1 2 3 "Haji Bagcho Convicted by Federal Jury in Washington, D.C., on Drug Trafficking and Narco-terrorism Charges - Afghan National Trafficked More Than 123,000 Kilograms of Heroin in 2006". US Department of Justice. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Afghan heroin kingpin convicted in U.S. court". CBS News. March 14, 2012. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Haji Bagcho, 70, Afghan drug lord gets life in US prison". Chengdu TV News. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  8. ↑ Frieden, Terry (2009-06-29). "Reputed Afghan drug lord held for trial in U.S.". CNN. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  9. 1 2 3 "Taliban-funding Afghan drug lord jailed for life in US". BBC World News. June 12, 2012. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. ↑ "Drug lord who funded Taliban in court". The National Post. June 11, 2012. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  11. 1 2 Foster, Zachary. "Haji Bagcho, One of World's Largest Heroin Traffickers, Convicted on Drug Trafficking, Narco-Terrorism Charges". War on Terrorism Online. Retrieved 7/6/2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  12. ↑ "2007 WORLD DRUG REPORT" (PDF). United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. Retrieved 2012-07-26.


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