Police set ablaze illegal drugs in Eastern Afghanistan

Kabul, April 15 (IANS) The counter-narcotics police in the drive against illicit drugs have publicly burned more than 100 kg of different types of narcotics in Khost province, east of Afghanistan, provincial director for Counter-Narcotics Qari Wahidullah Matawakil said Wednesday.

The contraband, which included hashish, heroin, opium poppy, and thousands of stimulant tablets locally known as (Tablet K), was publicly set alight, the official emphasized without giving more information, Xinhua News Agency reported.

No one has the right to produce or smuggle illegal drugs in the province, the official said, warning that police would take legal action against anyone who violates the law.

The Afghan government has intensified its crackdown on illegal drugs as police earlier smashed hundreds of acres of poppy farms and set ablaze several tons of narcotics across the country over the past couple of months.

On February 23, Afghan police in the drive against illegal drugs arrested two drug smugglers and recovered 41 kg of illicit drugs from their possessions in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province, said a statement of the provincial police office.

The arrested suspects, according to the statement, were attempting to smuggle 29 kg of opium poppy and 12 kg of hashish out of the province.

The Afghan government has vowed to fight against producing illegal drugs and their trafficking until the once drug-producing nation becomes free of the drug threats.

On February 3, provincial police spokesman Mullah Kalimullah Nangyal said police in western Afghanistan's Farah province have arrested two drug smugglers and seized 75 kilograms of narcotics.

The official added that acting on intelligence, security forces raided a location in Farah Rod district on Monday, apprehending the two suspects and confiscating 75 kg of raw opium.

An assault rifle was also recovered from the operation site, the spokesman said.

On February 1, the provincial police office said that police have seized 170 kg of illegal drugs from a vehicle in western Afghanistan's Herat province and taken two alleged drug smugglers into custody.

Based on intelligence, police intercepted a car on Saturday and, after a search, recovered 170 kg of opium and hashish from hidden compartments in the vehicle, the statement said. It added that two individuals in the car were arrested on charges of attempting to traffic the contraband to an unknown destination.

The arrestees will be handed over to judicial authorities after preliminary interrogation is completed, the statement further noted.

Police will not allow anyone to produce or traffic illegal drugs anywhere in the province, the statement emphasised.

In a similar operation, police in eastern Khost province discovered 18 kg of hashish and arrested an alleged drug trafficker.