Afghanistan sees 30 pc drop in criminal cases: Interior Ministry

Kabul, Aug 28 : Afghanistan's Interior Ministry has said that the number of registered criminal cases in the war-torn country decreased by 30 per cent from July last year to July this year.

Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Nabi Omari, while presenting the Annual Performance Report in Kabul on Tuesday, highlighted that it is for the first time in four decades that citizens of the country are able to live safely and travel freely between provinces due to enhanced security measures, Xinhua news agency reported.

Omari said that the Ministry's activities are now systematically regulated and managed according to a strategic plan guided by the decrees of Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada and court verdicts.

"The 30 per cent nationwide decrease in crime rate is a testament to the relentless efforts put in by the national forces. To further strengthen security, the Ministry has taken steps to professionalise and equip national police training centres, ensuring the police are now fully capable of countering any threats," the Minister added.

Omari said that 34 kidnappers have been killed and 76 arrested in 250 operations carried out by the security forces to solve kidnapping incidents.

The Minister also mentioned that efforts have been intensified to combat the menace of narcotics, leading to the destruction of poppy fields, the treatment of addicts, and stringent legal actions against those involved in the drug trade.

"Over the past year, authorities seized 3,643 tonnes of narcotics, dismantled 790 drug production and processing facilities, and arrested 10,564 suspects. Additionally, 27,891 addicts were referred to treatment centres, and 17,651 hectares of land were cleared of poppy cultivation," the Minister noted.

"A large amount of foreign currency, including $1.95 million, €845,000, 4.83 million Saudi Riyals, and 100,000 Dirhams has also been seized from various airports, and people trying to smuggle it have been put behind bars," the Ministry said.

"Police personnel have made significant strides in combating criminal offences, leading to a 30 per cent reduction in criminal cases compared to the previous year," said the Ministry's spokesman, Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani.

According to Qani, police forces conducted 250 operations against human traffickers during this period, resulting in the arrest of 76 kidnappers and the deaths of 34 others in clashes with police.

Additionally, Qani reported that 10,564 individuals were arrested on charges related to drug trafficking, sales and purchases. Furthermore, 790 drug factories were dismantled during the same period.

The Afghan caretaker government, since taking power in August 2021, has vowed to crack down on criminal elements to ensure law and order in the country.