How Did Afghan Police Seize 210 kg of Illicit Drugs and Arrest 4 Smugglers?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 210 kg of illegal drugs seized by Afghan forces.
- Four smugglers arrested during operations.
- Government intensifying efforts against narcotics trade.
- Previous operations also resulted in significant drug seizures.
- Commitment to eliminate poppy cultivation in Afghanistan.
Kabul, Sep 21 (NationPress) In a concerted effort against narcotics, Afghan counter-narcotics forces have successfully seized 210 kg of illegal drugs and arrested four suspected smugglers during various operations in northern Baghlan and eastern Ghazni provinces, according to local police announcements on Sunday.
In the outskirts of Khenjan district in Baghlan, authorities detained two individuals and confiscated 138 kg of opium poppy. Simultaneously, in Ghazni province, another two suspects were caught with 72 kg of opium, as reported by the provincial police offices and Xinhua News Agency.
This seizure follows a previous operation on Saturday in Ghanikhail district of eastern Nangarhar province, where counter-narcotics units dismantled a drug processing laboratory and recovered various illicit substances used in heroin production.
The Afghan government is intensifying its efforts to combat the drug trade, pledging to eliminate poppy cultivation and all substances involved in heroin manufacturing.
On September 17, the Ministry of Interior Affairs reported that Afghan counter-narcotics police had confiscated 67 kg of illicit drugs, including 21 kg of methamphetamine, and detained five suspected smugglers in operations spanning two provinces.
In a separate incident in western Nimroz province, security forces apprehended four individuals, seizing 60 kg of narcotics, including 21 kg of methamphetamine. Another arrest in northern Badakhshan province involved one person with seven kg of opium, according to the ministry.
The ministry emphasized its unwavering commitment to prevent the production and smuggling of illegal drugs in the country.
Earlier, on September 16, a similar operation in Kunduz led to the seizure of 60 kg of opium poppy and the arrest of two smugglers as part of ongoing efforts to eradicate drug trafficking and production across the nation.
On September 15, the Ministry of National Defence revealed that Afghan security forces had confiscated a significant cache of firearms and ammunition in southern Kandahar province.
Acting on intelligence and a tip-off, security personnel conducted a search operation along the Spin Boldak-Kandahar route, uncovering an M4 machine gun, AK-47 rifles, hand grenades, and a substantial amount of ammunition along with military equipment. Two suspects were detained, marking a critical step in safeguarding public safety.