The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum stated Saturday two Chinese nationals and three Afghans were jailed while attempting to smuggle about 1,000 lots of rocks consisting of raw lithium out of the country.The lithium was taken while being illegally carried to Nangarhar province from Nuristan and Kunar.The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum stated about 300 loads was seized in Nangarhar and handed over to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, and about 700 tons was taken in Kunar province.According to the ministry the arrests were made by security and intelligence agencies.Dr.
Bashir, the head of functional affairs of the intelligence department, stated at a press conference in Nangarhar province on Saturday: & We learnt that there was a strategy to smuggle these gemstones, which are not contracted and are extracted secretly.
In order to jail the main criminals, we provided them an opportunity to reach Jalalabad city.
Five individuals were apprehended, two foreign smugglers who are Chinese and 3 Afghans who were their collaborators and did most of the buying, & stated Bashir.Lithium is an unusual metal that is mainly used in modern-day innovation, including mobile phone batteries, electric motors, computers and drones.Officials include that according to the decree of the leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, smuggling and unlawful transfer of the mineral of the nation is prohibited.The post Two Chinese apprehended in connection with lithium smuggling operation first appeared on Ariana News.