Kabul, July 21 — Afghan police in southern Kandahar province publicly burned over 0.5 tonnes of illegal drugs on Sunday, as part of a nationwide crackdown on narcotics, provincial police spokesman Assadullah Jamshid confirmed on Monday.
The destroyed contraband included 130 kg of opium poppy, 480 kg of methamphetamine, and 660 pieces of stimulant tablets, all of which were seized over the past two months. The burning was carried out in public to send a strong message against drug production and trafficking. “Police will not allow anyone to produce, process or smuggle illegal drugs,” Jamshid stated.
In a separate operation, Afghan security forces dismantled two drug-processing laboratories and seized 589 kg of illicit substances in Farah province’s Bakwa district on Sunday. According to a statement from the Deputy Minister of Interior for Counter-Narcotics, nine suspected drug traffickers were arrested in the operation.
The interim government has intensified its fight against narcotics, with several successful operations in recent weeks. On July 8, police intercepted 43 kg of illegal opium in eastern Wardak province and arrested two suspects attempting to smuggle the drugs from Balkh to Farah province. The arrested individuals are currently under investigation and will be handed over to the judiciary for further legal action.
Earlier this month, police in Takhar province discovered 1,500 kg of opium hidden in a tanker of liquid gas. The smuggler was caught attempting to transport the contraband out of the region.
Additionally, authorities have begun destroying hashish farms in northern Badakhshan province as part of broader anti-drug measures.
These back-to-back operations reflect the Afghan interim government’s commitment to curbing the production, trafficking, and consumption of illegal drugs, which has long plagued the country’s social and economic fabric.
