Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Kabul: Dr. Bashir, the head of operational affairs of the Taliban Intelligence Directorate, said at a press conference in Nangarhar yesterday (January 21) that 250 tons of these precious stones were discovered and confiscated in Nangarhar and the rest in Kunar.
The head of operational affairs of the Intelligence Directorate of the Islamic Emirate said: "We found out that there is a plan to smuggle these precious stones, which are not contracted and are mined secretly. Therefore, in order to arrest the main perpetrators, we gave them a chance to reach Jalalabad city. Five people were arrested, two foreign smugglers who are Chinese and three Afghans who were their collaborators and did most of the buying.
The Chinese embassy in Kabul has not yet said anything about the arrest of two of its citizens on charges of smuggling.
China is one of the countries in the region that is willing to invest in Afghanistan's mineral resources, and the government of the Islamic Emirate has also agreed on some projects with this country.
Precious stones from the country's mines have been smuggled out of the country by people and networks for years.
Speaking to the media in Nangarhar, Mohammad Rasool Aqab, head of the Department of Revenue Regulation of the Ministry of Mines of the Islamic Emirate, said that during the previous republic regime, precious stones were smuggled to Pakistan and other countries for five Afghanis per kilo.
According to Mr. Aqab, when it was proven that these stones contain 30% of lithium, the government stopped the mining of these mines, including Biruj and other precious stones.
Lithium is used to make bottles for mobile phones, laptops, electric and hybrid cars and other electronic devices.
According to reports, Afghanistan's lithium and many of its other minerals are mostly smuggled into Pakistan, and after being refined, they are exported to other countries under the name of Pakistan.