KABUL, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghan National Police (ANP) destroyed a heroin lab during an operation in Badakhshan province, northeast Afghanistan, a press release of the Interior Ministry said Sunday.

    "A drug lab was destroyed and a large quantity of the contraband was discovered during operation launched in Argo district since Friday," the press release said.

    It added that over 370 liters of liquid opium, seven gas cylinders, a power generator and chemical materials used in manufacturing heroin were sized by ANP.

    The owner of the lab tried to escape, but police arrested him during searching, it said.

    Moreover, police in southern province of Helmand detained one drug smuggler after finding 5,800 kg liquid opium from his possession.

    Twenty out of 34 provinces in Afghanistan, where produced the world's 90 percent opium, have been claimed poppy-free and the government is determined to eliminate the menace from five other provinces within the next year.