The British army has hailed the success of a massive counter-Taliban operation in southern Afghanistan that saw four heroin factories captured and up to £50 million worth of drugs, chemicals and weapons seized.

More than 700 troops from the UK army and Afghan security forces were involved in Operation Diesel, which took place across six days earlier this month.

Almost 1,300kg of wet opium with a street value of more than £6 million as heroin was destroyed, along with chemicals and drug-making equipment that could have produced up to £50 million worth of heroin.

About 93 per cent of the heroin on Britain's streets originates from Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence believes.

The raid upon the Taliban position in the Islamic militant group's heartland of Sangin Valley has been hailed by defence secretary John Hutton.

"Our dedicated and professional forces have once again taken the fight to the enemy," he said.

"Their bravery coupled with the size and sophistication of our firepower has cleared the enemy from large areas of Helmand bringing security and governance to more of the province. The seizure of £50 million worth of narcotics will starve the Taliban of crucial funding preventing the proliferation of drugs and terror on the UK's streets."

Taskforce Helmand commander Brigadier Gordon Messenger added: "Operation Diesel was a clinical precision strike, supported by strong intelligence, which has had a powerful disruptive effect on known insurgent and narcotics networks in the area.

"The success of the operation is a significant boost to the Afghan authorities in their fight against the drugs trade."


© Adfero Ltd

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