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Papaver Somniferum

By
Matt Saint
on May 4, 2010 10:39 AM Share: Share on Facebook submit to reddit StumbleUpon Toolbar
05032010-11.jpg
Before being pocketed, a soldier in the Afghan National Army inspects a scored seedpod during a poppy eradication operation near the Pakistan border in Goshta district, Nangarhar province on April 17, 2010. An annual flower, the opium poppy seedpod can produce a milky sap when scratched. Laden with powerful opiates like morphine, this sap is typically harvested from a series of parallel cuts and dried for the illegal heroin trade. This multibillion-dollar crop has spread corruption throughout the Afghan National Security Forces and directly financed a regional guerrilla war.

Words and Photo by James Lee

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Look Closer

James Lee has partnered with the Museum of Ventura County to create a special two day photography exhibit.

Earlier this year, Lee used this blog to share his stories as a photographer in today's Afghanistan. His previous work has included articles on humanitarian aid in South Asia and sectarian conflict in the Middle East.

Lee graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in international relations, and served in the United States Marine Corps prior to becoming a photographer.

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