7 suspected drug smugglers arrested in northern Afghan province

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Police in northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province have arrested seven people on charge of the involvement in drug trafficking, a senior police official Waisudin Talash said Monday.

All the arrested men involved in drug trafficking and criminal activities, the official said, had been referred to concerned authorities for further investigation.

The Afghan government has stepped up operations against illicit drug and drug traffickers to check increasing poppy products in the war-battered country.

Police in a similar operation discovered 70 kg of opium poppies in northern Jawzjan province and arrested two smugglers on Saturday.