Illegal Drugs Seized

Since the beginning of the current year (started March 20), 415 tons of illicit drugs have been seized across the country, mostly in the eastern provinces, said Colonel Massoud Zahedian, anti-narcotics police chief on Thursday. “The figure has increased by 14% compared to the same period last year and the root cause is the rising opium cultivation and production in Afghanistan which shares a 936-km border with Iran,” ISNA reported. More than 90% of world opium is cultivated in Afghanistan and over 6,400 tons of opium was produced in Afghanistan in 2015.  Poppy cultivation is a result of poverty, unemployment, instability and insecurity in the region.