The counter-narcotics minister of Afghanistan Zerar Ahmad Muqbil on Wednesday said that drugs smugglers have shifted their laboratories to neighboring Pakistan.
Mr. Muqbil said the step by drugs smugglers were taken after Afghan security forces increased their operations against the smugglers in Afghanistan.
He said the drugs production laborities have been shifted to Waziristan tribal region. According to Zerar Ahmad Muqbil, opium is still cultivated in 70 hectares of land in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.
He also added that Helmand, Kandahar, Farah, Uruzgan and Nimroz are among the provinces where majority of the opium are cultivated.
A number of major drugs smugglers have been arrested by Afghan security forces, counter-narcotics minister Zerar Ahmad Muqbil said, adding that drugs smugglers who are operating globally should be arrested in a bid to prevent drugs smuggling in the region.
Mr. Muqbil also said that those arrested over drugs smuggling are not high level smugglers and further efforts are needed to detain major drugs smugglers.
In the meantime counter-narcotics minister expressed concerns regarding the involvement of high level government officials in drugs smuggling.
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