2010-03-24 Afghan-Iranian mountain trails reveal hidden weapons smuggling route
We had traveled from the city of Herat in out to Afghanistan's western border to film a story on the smuggling of weaponry to the Taliban from Iran
Once we had finished filming at the official crossing I asked the commander of the detail if he knew where the main smuggling trail across the border was as I'd heard it was just outside of Eslam Ghalagh.
He agreed to take us and we climbed back into our cars.
Less then five minutes later we turned off the main road onto a dusty track. Another five minutes and the police car leading the way came to a halt - we were less than 10 kilometers from the official crossing and we'd arrived. It was the best known smuggling trail, but just one of many hundreds of trails that snake through the mountains here.
In Herat the provincial authorities have spent the last two years filming every weapon haul they've intercepted coming over the Iranian border, photographing serial numbers written in Persian and establishing which models are produced in Iranian state armament factories.
If the Afghan government decides to take up the issue with Tehran, they'll find all the evidence they need here in Herat.
