Joint anti-drug operation with Iran to begin tomorrow

KABUL): Interior ministry officials on Wednesday said a joint offensive by the Afghan and Iranian forces against drug-trafficking across their common border would start on Thursday.

The fifth joint operation with the neighbouring country was aimed to combat drug smuggling, Deputy Interior Minister of Counternarcotics Baz Mohammad Ahmadi said.

He added counternarcotics police had been deployed to areas along the 1,200 kilometres border with Iran, which has repeatedly expressed concern at drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

Iran is seen as a major route of drug smuggling to Europe. “Since drug trafficking is a global problem, there is a need for international cooperation with efforts to deal with the challenge,” Ahmadi remarked.

The interior ministry planned to conduct similar counternarcotics operations with Tajikistan, the deputy minister continued, saying Afghan forces captured more than 163 tonnes of drugs in Kandahar, Helmand, Ghor, Herat and Nangarhar provinces last month.

The seizure included 825 kilograms of heroin, 7.5 tonnes of opium, two tonnes of morphine, 1.5 tonnes of hashish, 152 tonnes of chemicals and 962 bottles of alcohol, Ahmadi said.

The forces also seized 122 vehicles from smugglers and destroyed 123.5 acres of poppy crop as part of the campaign, which left one policeman dead and three others wounded.

frm/mud

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