Afghanistan”s Interior Ministry says its troops have confiscated 1.3 tons of opium in southern Afghanistan.
In a statement Monday the ministry said its counter-narcotics force seized the drugs during a raid in Marjah district of Helmand province last week. Three smugglers were detained.
Helmand is the world”s largest producer of opium, the main ingredient in the production of heroin. Afghanistan last year accounted for 93 percent of the world”s opium supply. In 2007 it produced 9,920 tons of opium.
Some of the proceeds from this multibillion dollar trade go to fund the Taliban-led insurgency. Profits also line the pockets of corrupt government officials.
