The Ministry of Interior has seized almost three metric tons of drugs and almost one ton of chemicals within the last four days in Bamyan and Nangarhar provinces.

The National Interdiction Unit (NIU), a specially trained force under the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan, seized yesterday 1,000 kilograms of opium, 800 kilograms of chemicals, 210 liters of acid, and one Kalashnikov assault rifle during an operation in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. The raid also resulted in the destruction of four drug labs.

The operation followed another bust four days ago by local police who seized 1,700 kilograms of opium from a vehicle in the Yakawlang district of Bamiyan province. The drugs were confiscated while being transferred from Balkh to Helmand province. There were no casualties in either operation.

"This is almost three tons of opium that will never be processed into heroin, and that will never find its way onto our streets or the streets of Europe," said Lt. Gen. Mohammad Daud Daud, the deputy interior minister for counter narcotics. "The narco business is against Islam and is illegal, and no one will be allowed to profit from the economy and shame of illegal drugs."