Kabul, Dec 30 : Afghan counter-narcotics police have arrested 12 people on the charge of drug smuggling in seven out of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, police have detained individuals allegedly involved in the sale, purchase and smuggling of the contraband on the outskirts of Laghman, Bamyan, Kapisa, Parwan, Kunduz, Herat, and Farah provinces.

A quantity of illicit drugs, including opium, hashish and stimulant tablets, has been seized from the detainees and their dossiers were referred to the judiciary for further investigation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on December 22, the Afghan counter-narcotics police seized 38 kg of illicit drugs and arrested 11 suspects in connection with drug trafficking, purchase, and sales, the Ministry of Interior reported.

Units of counter-narcotics police had recently conducted an operation in the Durbaba district of eastern Nangarhar province, discovering 38 kg of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin, the ministry said in a statement.

Eleven individuals were arrested in connection with drug trafficking, purchase, and sales on the outskirts of the provinces of Laghman, Kapisa, Parwan, Khost, and Farah, it added in another statement.

Earlier on December 18, counter-narcotics police uncovered 56 kg of illicit drugs and arrested 151 individuals on charges of drug trafficking over the past three months in eastern Afghanistan's Parwan province, a local police official reported.

Units of counter-narcotics police had launched separate operations on the outskirts of Charikar city, the capital, and in districts of the province, discovering 56 kg of illegal drugs, said Fazal Rahim Maskenyar, spokesman for the provincial police.

At least 151 individuals were arrested in connection with drug trafficking. Their dossiers were referred to the judiciary for further investigation, he added.

On November 12, counter-narcotics police in Afghanistan had seized illicit drugs and arrested 53 people on charges of involvement in criminal activities, including drug smuggling and murders.

Units of counter-narcotics police had launched separate operations on the outskirts of southern Kandahar province, discovering 129 kg of illegal drugs, including heroin, opium, and hashish, the office of provincial police said in a statement.

Nine individuals were arrested in connection with the drug trafficking, purchase, and sales. Their dossiers were referred to the judiciary for further investigation, the statement added.

Additionally, police had taken into custody 44 suspects on charges of involvement in criminal activities such as murder and theft in the provinces of Nangarhar, Balkh, Laghman, Farah, Baghlan, Herat, and Nangarhar, the Ministry of Interior reported.

The Afghan caretaker government had vowed to fight illicit drugs, drug production and trafficking, and crackdown on other criminal elements to ensure law and order across the country.

/IANS