A former general in Afghanistan’s Border Force and first deputy speaker of the Afghan National Assembly’s House of the People has been extradited to the United States and charged with conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine and provide an arsenal of military-grade weapons to a drug trafficking organization.
Abdul Zahir Qadeer, 52, also known as “Haji Abdul Zahir,” appeared in Manhattan federal court Friday following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15, 2025, and was ordered detained pending trial. He was extradited to the United States on July 10, 2026.
“While purporting to be a political leader of Afghanistan, Abdul Zahir Qadeer was allegedly leading a criminal enterprise dealing in dangerous and addictive narcotics and heavy weapons,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Drug Enforcement Administration led an investigation that ended Qadeer’s audacious criminal activity, and now he will face justice in the United States.”
According to court documents, Qadeer served as a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force, commanding its Eighth Border Battalion in Takhar Province, and was elected first deputy speaker of the National Assembly’s House of the People in 2012. The National Assembly functioned as Afghanistan’s legislature until the Taliban regained control of the country in August 2021.
The case began in November 2024, when a DEA confidential source began negotiating with Qadeer about trafficking hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine into the United States. As an early step in the alleged partnership, Qadeer sold a two-kilogram test shipment of methamphetamine to an associate of the source in Johannesburg, South Africa, in exchange for roughly $14,000 on December 10, 2024.
Negotiations continued, with Qadeer allegedly agreeing to supply 500 to 600 kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine along with hundreds of heavy machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, pistols and grenades. Qadeer provided the source with pricing for each weapon — including $11,579 for one sniper rifle, $9,670 for one type of machine gun and $1,770 for a box of 10 grenades — and said he could deliver all requested weapons and ammunition within three days of receiving a delivery location.
In April 2025, Qadeer traveled to Nairobi for what he believed was a meeting with members of the drug trafficking organization. The meeting was in fact with multiple DEA confidential sources. Kenyan law enforcement arrested him immediately afterward.
Qadeer faces narcotics importation conspiracy, which carries a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, along with weapons charges that carry a mandatory minimum of 30 years and a maximum of life in prison. All charges are allegations and Qadeer is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, with the FBI’s Tactical Aviation Unit assisting in his extradition.