April 26 (The Killid Group) — The Afghan Deputy Ministry of Interior for Counter Narcotics announced the CN Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) has waged more than 300 anti-drug operations in the country in 2019.
According to the data collated by officials in the Deputy Ministry of Interior for Counter Narcotics, the Afghan Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) have arrested more than 400 culprits on charges of drug smuggling.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Najibullah Ahmadi, head of Narcotics Survey Directorate in the Deputy Ministry of Interior for CN, said that in 2019, the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) have seized some 338 kg of heroin, 19 kg of cannabis (hashish), six liters of precursor chemicals, and some 49,000 pills of K-tablets (synthetic drugs) in Hamid Karzai International Airport.
According to him, 23 high-level smugglers have been also arrested and prosecuted.
Compared to last year, Afghanistan has experienced a drop in opium-poppy cultivation due to strict border controls, a rise in smuggling arrests, and in addition, increased counter-narcotic operations, Ahmadi further added.
Experts, however, believe that despite tens of billions of dollars spent on counter-narcotic (CN) efforts in Afghanistan, the country remains a global leader in drug (narcotics) production.
Atiqullah Amarkhail, a military affairs analyst, told a TKG’s reporter that funds allocated for counter-narcotic efforts in Afghanistan were wasted by officials.
According to a survey conducted by the Deputy Ministry of Interior for CN, opium-poppy cultivation tends to take place mostly in less secure territories and in areas controlled by the Taliban whereas only 17% of areas under opium poppy cultivation are controlled by the Afghan government.
Follow TKG on Twitter & Facebook
