KABUL, Afghanistan (January 17, 2012) - Afghan National Security Forces detained the first and second in command of a prominent narcotics ring operating out of Shinwar district, Nangahar province on 13 January. The ANSF-led operation with support of Coalition forces detained Haji Bando Gul and his nephew, Sucha Gul, along with eight other individuals suspected of illicit narcotics involvement. 

Haji Bando's brother, Baghcho, has been incarcerated in the United States since 2009; Bando has led the network's operations following Baghcho's arrest. Sucha Gul has been heavily involved in the importing of precursor chemicals from Pakistan and China for sale to heroin processing laboratories. 

The arrests follow President Karzai's 9 January cabinet meeting in which he directed the Minister of Interior to take serious measures to bring drug dealers and narcotics networks to justice. President Karzai has previously recognized the narcotics industry as a destabilizing factor that undermines the moral foundation of the state and contributes to an overall lack of security in Afghan society. "Narcotics cultivation, production, smuggling and trafficking is a tragedy; Afghanistan will work to stop this," President Karzai stated in November.