The U.S. and Russian drug enforcement operatives successfully eliminated two drug labs and approximately five tons of morphine that was ready to be shipped into Russia. Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service conducted the operation with the help of its U.S. counterparts in northern Afghanistan. Viktor Ivanov, the head of the Federal Drug Control Service shared his comments with the media, saying that the operation held in Afghanistan in late October with the joint support from Russia and the United States helped drug control forces of the Afghan Interior Ministry destroy two drug labs and approximately five tons of morphine prepared for shipment to Russia.

According to Ivanov, the U.S. and Russian agencies conducted multiple operations in 2013. The recent successful operation is yet another step in the partnership between the drug enforcement agencies of the two countries that have attained other impressive results in anti-drug endeavors. The head of the Federal Drug Control Service also mentioned that two more operations against drug traffickers are in progress, but that it would be premature to disclose their specifics.