Russia, US Jointly Destroy Drug Labs, Afghanistan Cries Foul

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington last April. Photo by EPA.

Russian and US security forces have launched an unprecedented joint operation and destroyed four narcotics laboratories in the Afghani province of Nangarhar.

Apparently this is the first joint Russian-American military operation ever and was carried out with the help of helicopters staffed by special forces.

According to army sources from both sides, the operation resulted in USD 1 B of losses for the drug industry, the seizure of 900 M doses of heroin and the destruction of significant facilities.

Afghani President Hamid Karzai has voiced vehement dissent over the operation, calling it "a breach of Afghanistan's sovreignty" and criticizing the States and Russia for not consulting the country's legitimate authorities ahead of the operation.

In the meanwhile, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov met US counterpart Hilary Clinton at the East Asia Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, and expressed satisfaction over the operation, reports RIA Novosti.

"We have agreed to continue cooperation in the same spirit, in order to fight drug production and trafficking, as well as terrorism," commented Lavrov.

Earlier Saturday it was announced that both the USA and Russia will become formal members of the East Asia Summit at the start of 2011.

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