KABUL, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Afghan counter-narcotic police seized 1,326 kg of illicit drugs and arrested nine suspected drug smugglers in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, an official statement said on Monday.
The contraband, which included 5 kg of methamphetamine, 616 kg of heroin and 705 kg of hashish, was seized during separate routine operations carried out by the police in the provincial capital and districts of the province over the past week, the office of provincial police stated.
In the fight against illicit drug use, the police have rounded up 90 drug users in the province and shifted them to rehabilitation centers for treatment.
In a related operation, the police in the western Nimroz province discovered 204 kg of illegal drugs on Sunday.
The Afghan interim government has prohibited poppy cultivation, drug production, and trafficking, committing to combat the drug issue until Afghanistan, previously known for its poppy production, is transformed into a drug-free country. ■