Kabul, Aug 20 — Afghan counter-narcotics police have foiled two major drug trafficking attempts and arrested three suspected smugglers in northern Takhar and southern Zabul provinces, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Wednesday.
Acting on intelligence inputs, security forces launched operations on the outskirts of Taluqan city in Takhar and Shajoy district of Zabul. Authorities seized 249 kg of opium and apprehended three traffickers, who remain under investigation before being handed over to judicial bodies for further legal action, the ministry added.
In a related crackdown, on Monday, Afghan counter-narcotics units arrested 16 suspected traffickers in western Herat province, seizing 872 kg of narcotics. The large haul highlights the persistence of cross-border drug smuggling networks despite ongoing security campaigns.
Separately, Afghan police reported uncovering weapons and ammunition in two operations across eastern Ghazni and southern Uruzgan provinces. The cache included 16 pieces of heavy and light arms — such as PK machine guns, M16 rifles, Kalashnikovs, assault rifles, and rocket launchers — along with explosives, cartridges, bullets, and communication devices. These were seized from Tirin Kot city in Uruzgan and Jaghouri and Qara Bagh districts of Ghazni.
According to the ministry, these operations form part of the Afghan interim government’s broader efforts to restore stability in the war-torn nation. Over the past four years, security forces have recovered thousands of weapons and vast amounts of ammunition in similar actions.
Earlier, on August 10, Afghan forces discovered a significant stockpile of arms and military equipment in Paktia province, seizing them during operations in Samkani and Ahmad Khil districts.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to intensify operations against both narcotics and illicit arms trafficking, which remain key drivers of insecurity in Afghanistan.
