KABUL, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Police have discovered more than 7 tons of illicit drugs of opium poppy type in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province and set them on fire publicly on Monday, provincial police spokesman Nizamudin Omir said Wednesday.
The contraband, which included 7.245 tons of opium poppy, was hidden in three vehicles, including two oil tankers that had been discovered over the past three weeks, and the smugglers were attempting to take it out of Takhar province, the official said.
After foiling the smugglers' attempts to take it out of the province and seizing the contraband, police burned it publicly on Monday, the official asserted, noting police won't allow anyone to produce or traffic illegal drugs.
This is the third time that police have thwarted smugglers' attempts in Takhar over the past month.
Police have earlier set on fire more than 12 tons of illegal drugs, mostly opium poppy, in Takhar province. ■
