Troops Seize Opium, Capture Insurgent in Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

01.06.2010

Courtesy Story

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs           

KABUL, Afghanistan - Troops in Afghanistan seized nearly 8,000 pounds of opium in two separate events over the past two days.

A combined Afghan and international patrol in Kandahar today spotted a speeding truck with its lights off. When the occupants spotted the patrol, they stopped the truck, jumped out and hid. The patrol moved in to investigate and found 239 33-pound bags of opium in the vehicle. The occupants were detained and the drugs destroyed.

Yesterday in the Maiwand district, patrol members noticed suspicious activity in a field. After seeing what appeared to be a person throwing a weapon into a hole, the force moved in and discovered a rifle and about 110 pounds of opium. The drugs were turned in for destruction.

In operations, Jan. 5:

-- Forces captured an insurgent commander and other militants in Kandahar. The force went to a compound after militant activity was reported in the area. During a search, the force captured an insurgent commander involved in explosive attacks and suicide bombings.

-- In Khowst province, a force detained an undisclosed number of insurgents and confiscated a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, ammunition and rifles.

-- Also in Khowst, a force killed an undisclosed number of insurgents after being attacked with rifles and hand grenades while searching a suspicious compound. They also captured a terrorist facilitator believed responsible for delivering explosive equipment, weapons and ammunition to militants.

-- A combined force searched a compound and killed two insurgents armed with a machine gun and rocket-propelled grenades in Kunduz province.

• Date Taken: 01.06.2010
• Date Posted: 01.06.2010 14:34
• Story ID: 43499
• Location: KABUL, AF