TV Report on the Weapons Trade in a Village in Pakistan: An AK-47 Goes for Less than a Smartphone

On July 29, France 24 TV aired a report on the illegal weapons production and trade in the village of Darra Adam Khel in Pakistan, "considered the largest black market for knockoff weapons in the region." Weapons workshop owners complained that the trade, which began during the Soviet-Afghanistan war and flourished as a market for importing weapons for the Taliban, is now suffering from a Pakistani government clampdown on insurgency, and their livelihood is under threat.

Reporter: "We are in the Pakistani village of Darra Adam Khel, considered the largest black market for knockoff weapons in the region. An AK-47 is sold there for much less than a smartphone."

Khattab Ghoul: "This is an MP5 sub-machine gun. I've been manufacturing it for 20 years, and I sell it for only 60 euros. Its production costs around 40 euros."

Reporter: "The 'profession' passes from one generation to the next in this village. The flourishing trade began in the 1980's, during the war between the neighboring Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. Later, the village became a market for importing weapons for the Taliban. But things have changed since the Pakistani government began a campaign against the insurgents in the country."

Muzzamil Khan: "I began to produce weapons 30 years ago, but there is much less demand today. Now I am planning to sell the tools of my workshop. Production was going well, until the Pakistani army intervened."

Reporter: "This intervention has deterred salesman from coming to the village to buy arms, although there are still hundreds of weapons stores and workshops in the area."

Muhammad Qaysar: "There are about 3,000 places to buy weapons here. If the government does nothing for Darra Adam Khel, the number will gradually fall to 1,000, and they will eventually disappear."