Firoz Koah, May 14 (IANS): Afghan counter-narcotics police destroyed a drug processing lab and arrested nine suspects for alleged involvement in drug business in four of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said.

Acting on a tip-off, units of counter-narcotic police launched an operation in Chaharsada district of Afghanistan's western Ghor province on Friday, discovered and destroyed the drug lab, the Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Afghan authorities have intensified crackdown on illicit drugs and those involved in underground business as security personnel arrested nine alleged drug smugglers in Parwan province, Herat province, Takhar province, and Bamyan province on Friday, the statement added.

Police also uncovered materials used in manufacturing heroin from the possession of the arrested suspects, Xinhua news agency reported.

In the fight against illicit crops, police have also destroyed 600 acres of poppy farms in some provinces over the past couple of weeks.