JALALABAD (PAN): Thirteen people have been arrested on charges of growing poppy crops and seizing a governmental land in eastern Nangarhar province, officials said on Tuesday.

The Spinghar district chief, Shukrullah Durrani, said 10 people were arrested while cultivating the banned plants in their farms in the district.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News the farmers had previously agreed not to grow poppy crops.

Another three farmers were detained in the Sapari area of Goshta district late on Monday, the district chief, Sayed Rahman, said. The detainees had been referred to the persecutor's office, he said

Meanwhile, the governor's office in a statement said four people had been arrested for grabbing a government land in the Sando area of the outskirts of Jalalabad city.

mrh/ma