Kabul: In a significant development, 309 individuals overcoming drug addiction have successfully completed their rehabilitation and returned to their families in Kandahar province, as reported by state media on Tuesday.

These individuals, hailing from Kandahar City and surrounding districts, underwent an extensive three-month treatment and rehabilitation program before being reintegrated into their communities, according to Mullah Assadullah Jamshidi, the provincial police spokesperson.

Alongside medical treatment, participants received vocational training in areas such as dressmaking, motorcycle repair, and electrical appliance maintenance, aimed at supporting their long-term recovery and fostering economic independence.

In a related initiative, the Deputy Minister of Interior for Counter-Narcotics revealed that 161 individuals battling addiction have been moved to rehabilitation centers across 11 provinces for further treatment.

Since taking power, the Afghan government has implemented a stringent ban on poppy cultivation and narcotics trafficking, as part of a nationwide effort to combat drug abuse and its severe social repercussions.

On November 16, the Ministry of Interior Affairs announced that Afghan counter-narcotics police seized a significant amount of illegal drugs, including crystal meth, and apprehended 21 suspected traffickers during various operations across multiple provinces.

The confiscated items included 86 kg of raw hashish, 5 kg of crystal meth, methamphetamine, stimulant tablets, and other narcotics.

These drugs were uncovered during routine police operations, and 21 individuals were arrested in connection with these cases.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to preventing the production, purchase, or smuggling of illegal drugs within the country.

On November 14, provincial police spokesman Nizamudin Omir reported the arrest of a suspected drug smuggler in Takhar province, where illicit narcotics were seized during an operation.

The suspect was caught while attempting to transport crystal methamphetamine and other chemicals used in heroin production to Taluqan, the provincial capital, where he intended to sell these materials.

The suspect is currently in custody for further investigation.

Afghanistan has ramped up its counter-narcotics efforts in recent years, focusing on dismantling trafficking networks, clandestine labs, and illegal markets.