KABUL - Afghan forces destroyed at least four drug factories in eastern Nangarhar province and arrested several men in an ongoing crackdown on the narcotics trade, officials said Friday.
The Afghan National Army troops and British-trained anti-drugs police conducted the raids in Achin, Shinwar and Dar-i-Noor districts -- the country's top drug growing regions -- in the province which borders Pakistan.
"There was a massive operation by ANA and anti-drug forces in three districts here," provincial spokesman Faizanul-haq told AFP.
Faizanul-haq would not provide any further information, citing the security of the operations which were still ongoing Friday.
So far in the crackdown, several factories had been destroyed, over 424 kilograms of opium were seized and a number of arrests were made, according to a provincial intelligence official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"Some four to five factories were destroyed. The troops also detained four men who were involved in a drug factory," the official said.
Afghanistan grows 87 percent of the world's supply of the opium used to make heroin, according to UN reports.
The country saw a 64 percent leap in opium production in 2004 and has also branched into heroin refining over the last year, but the Afghan government backed by the international community is taking a harder line on the issue.
President Hamid Karzai declared a "jihad" or a holy war or on drugs shortly after being elected president in October last year.
03/11/2005 13:49 GMT