KABUL, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Police have foiled a gemstone smuggling in the eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan and arrested three persons in the case, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here on Monday.
"Units of police have foiled the smuggling of 5,210 kg precious stones on the highway linking Kabul to the border town of Torkham and arrested three smugglers," the statement asserted.
Torkham is a border town that connects Afghan eastern Jalalabad city to Peshawar of Pakistan.
The statement, however, did not identify the kinds of gemstones and their prices.
Smugglers, irresponsible armed groups, powerful figures and armed militants in Afghanistan illegally excavate precious and semi-precious stones such as emerald, Ruby and Lapis Lazuli and traffic them outside the conflict-hit country.
