(MENAFN- IANS) Kabul, Oct 14 (IANS) In its ongoing drive against illegal drugs, the Afghan police has arrested three drug smugglers and discovered hashish from their possessions in northern Afghanistan's Samangan province on Tuesday, a news release of the provincial police office said.

Three drug smugglers were going to traffic 700 grams of hashish from the northern Balkh to Baghlan province via Samangan at midnight, but a patrol police team intercepted their car and, after searching, discovered the contraband and detained its owners, the news release added, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In similar operations, police also discovered a stolen car and returned it to its owner in Samangan's neighbouring Jawzjan province on Monday.

Earlier on October 8, provincial police spokesman Nizamudin Omir said that police discovered illegal opium poppy in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province and took into custody a drug smuggler.

The alleged drug smuggler, according to the official, had hidden 38 kg of opium poppy in the cavities of a car and was attempting to take the contraband out of the province, but police, during a check of the car on Tuesday, discovered the illegal drug and arrested its owner.

On October 7, police also reported the discovery of 61 kg of opium poppy and the arrest of two drug smugglers in the northern Badakhshan and eastern Logar provinces.

Afghan counter-narcotics units seized a total of 61 kg of illegal drugs in the eastern Logar and northern Badakhshan provinces, arresting five alleged smugglers, the authorities announced on Tuesday.

In Badakhshan's Darayem district, three suspects were apprehended as officers recovered 34 kg of opium poppy from their possession. In Logar's Charkh district, two other individuals were detained after police found 27 kg of hashish in their custody, according to the authorities.

This follows a separate operation reported in western Herat province on October 2, where police uncovered 20 kg of opium poppy and detained two people implicated in drug trafficking.

Earlier on October 2, provincial police spokesman Ghulam Nabi Babizada said police had discovered illegal drugs of opium poppy in the western Afghanistan Herat province and took into custody two persons on charges of involvement in the drug business.

The alleged drug smugglers were busy selling 20 kg of opium poppy when police arrested them red-handed, the official said.

Both the arrested persons have been taken into police custody for investigation, the official further said.

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