Afghan police burn 24 tonnes of narcotics on outskirts of Kabul
Afghan counternarcotics police poured petrol on more than 24 tonnes of narcotics and other illegal substances, then set the pile ablaze on the outskirts of Kabul, officials said.
Afghan authorities said the drugs, drug-making chemicals and alcohol were seized in and around the capital during the past nine months.
Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, deputy minister of counternarcotics at the Interior Ministry, said the drugs destroyed on Sunday included nearly 1.8 tonnes of heroin; nearly 2.8 tonnes of opium; and 140kg of hashish.
More than 12,100 litres of alcohol, as well as raisins used to make alcohol, were also destroyed.
"It is a considerable amount of narcotics," Ahmadi said at the site as a cloud of black smoke spiralled over the burning drugs. "Compared with [a similar burn from a comparable period] last year, it's a 35 to 45 per cent increase."
He said 907 suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizure of the drugs and other materials.
The police put the illegal substances into a large pile, mixed in some logs, doused it with petrol and then lit the material as police stood by applauding.
