Government cars ‘used to smuggle drugs’

Anti-narcotics ministry under pressure to release arrested ANA officers

DRUG smugglers are using the cars of high-ranking Afghan officials to traffic drugs through the country, the Ministry of Anti-Narcotics has said.

Officials are trying to break the smugglers network, a ministry spokesman said.

A number of ANA Colonels have been arrested on unrelated drug smuggling charges.

Other elements in the Afghan government are trying to secure the release of the officers, ministry legal spokesman Saier Ahamad Barmack said.

In the past year, 257 suspects have been arrested by police on drug related charges. Fifty-seven have been released for lack of evidence.

Most of those arrested were Afghans currently living abroad, according to ministry figures.

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