Former Afghan general and politician is extradited to US to face drug charges

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NEW YORK (AP) — A former Afghan general who also served in his nation’s National Assembly was extradited to the U.S. on Friday to face drug charges, authorities said.

Abdul Zahir Qadeer, 52, of Afghanistan, appeared in Manhattan federal court and was ordered detained until trial, federal prosecutors said in a release.

Qadeer was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15 before his extradition to face charges that he conspired to import heroin and methamphetamine, along with related firearms offenses.

Authorities said he previously served as a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force and as first deputy speaker of Afghanistan’s House of the People.

It was unclear who is representing him on the U.S. charges, which if he is convicted carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life behind bars.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Qadeer as a large-scale international narcotics and military-grade weapons trafficker.

“In an attempt to traffic massive amounts of poison and weaponry — including heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers — Qadeer allegedly sold a two-kilogram test shipment to a buyer, which was delivered in South Africa,” Clayton said in a release.

The prosecutor said the buyer was actually working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a release that Qadeer was “purporting to be a political leader in Afghanistan” while leading a criminal enterprise dealing in dangerous and addictive narcotics.