Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2019 shows smoke rising from burning drugs in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Nov. 3, 2019. The Afghan authorities burned about 28 tons of seized narcotic drugs in two provinces on Sunday, the latest in the fight against illicit drug trafficking. Photo: Xinhua

The Afghan authorities burned about 28 tons of seized narcotic drugs in two provinces on Sunday, the latest in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.

In northern Baghlan province, some 15 tons of narcotics were put on fire and destroyed by provincial police on the outskirts of provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri city, provincial police chief Gen. Wais Ahmad Samimi told reporters at the site.

In a similar development, about 13 tons of drugs were demolished in Lashkar Gah, capital of southern Helmand province, according to Helmand's police chief Col. Hssamuddin.

Afghan security force members prepare to burn seized drugs in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Nov. 3, 2019. The Afghan authorities burned about 28 tons of seized narcotic drugs in two provinces on Sunday, the latest in the fight against illicit drug trafficking. Photo: Xinhua

Among the narcotics put on fire and demolished were opium, heroin, morphine, hashish, Methamphetamine, and other types of illegal drugs, according to police officials.

The illicit drugs were confiscated by Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) and other security organization in the two provinces within the past one year, the officials noted.

Afghan security force members prepare to burn seized drugs in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Nov. 3, 2019. The Afghan authorities burned about 28 tons of seized narcotic drugs in two provinces on Sunday, the latest in the fight against illicit drug trafficking. Photo: Xinhua

In 2018, some 6,400 tons of poppy opium were produced in western and southern parts of the country, where government security forces have little presence, much lesser compared with 9,000 tons in 2017, according to official figures.