Counter-Narcotics Police Prevent Drug Smuggling in Afghanistan
Click to start listening
Kabul, Jan 4 (NationPress) Teams from the counter-narcotics police have successfully intercepted attempts to smuggle around 1,000 kg of illegal drugs along with substances used in the production of heroin in Nimroz province of western Afghanistan, as stated by the Provincial Director for Counter-Narcotics Police, Abdul Wasi Raihan, on Saturday.
The official, without divulging further information, confirmed that no arrests were made during this operation.
In related activities, law enforcement agents apprehended a drug trafficker who was found in possession of 66 kg of opium poppy in the Kang district of Nimroz province on Wednesday, according to Mawlawi Ahmad Sayed, the district police chief.
The Afghan caretaker government has imposed a ban on poppy cultivation, drug processing, and trafficking, pledging to combat this issue until Afghanistan transforms from a former poppy-producing nation into a drug-free country.
Afghanistan, significantly impacted by years of war and civil conflicts, reportedly hosts over three million individuals grappling with drug addiction.
To tackle this pressing challenge, the Afghan caretaker government has committed to eradicating drug production and addiction, enforcing a ban on poppy cultivation and drug trafficking.
Currently, 550 rehabilitated drug addicts are undergoing training to acquire vocational skills at the Aghosh camp, a vocational training center located in the Pul-e-Charkhi area on the eastern outskirts of Kabul, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Faridullah, a recovered addict residing at the Aghosh camp for five months, expressed, "I am in good health and engaged in a shoe-making project." He aspires to establish his own shop in the future.
Expressing disdain for heroin and all forms of illicit drugs, the former addict remarked that drug use degrades a person's character and alienates them from society.
"Drug abuse ruins your life and possessions. It tarnishes your dignity and reputation, both at home and in the community," he stated. "My ambition is to open a shoe store after leaving here, enabling me to support myself and my family."
He further urged fellow addicts, saying, "I implore those caught in addiction to abandon illicit substances and seek help at a rehabilitation center, where they can acquire skills and receive the necessary tools for self-sufficiency."
Another former addict, Sayed Yasar Sadat, 22, a once university student, is currently studying electro-mechanics at the camp with the intention of becoming an electrician. He aims to establish a shop for electronic device repairs after completing his four-month training and obtaining his certificate.
"Every course lasts four months, and within the past year and a half, 1,600 individuals have graduated," stated Ezatullah Rahmat, Director of the camp. "Post three months of treatment, recovering addicts are transferred to this camp, which currently accommodates 550 recovering individuals seeking to gain vocational skills."
