The real challenge for fighting the illicit drug trade in Central Asia stems less from the supposed risks associated with opening borders or developing transport infrastructure, than from dealing with poverty and corruption.
Greater connectivity often produces unintended consequences. The ancient Silk Road, for example, carried not just commerce, but also disease. As roads, railways, and ports are built across the Eurasian supercontinent, how will these new connections impact the movement of drugs, human trafficking, and other unintended flows?