MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - Russia and the United States have conducted a joint operation targeting drug-making laboratories located on Afghan territory, as a result of which 932 kilograms of heroin were disposed of, director of the Russian Federal Drug Control Service Viktor Ivanov told journalists in Moscow on Friday.
"As a result of this work, four laboratories were destroyed, including a heroin lab and a morphine lab," Ivanov said.
The operation "involved around 70 officers supported by helicopters, including three assault helicopters and six air support helicopters," he said.
It continued from 6:30 p.m. to 10:20 p.m. on Thursday, Ivanov said.
"It was a major drug hub located five kilometers from the Afghan-Pakistani border," Ivanov said.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Russian Federal Drug Control Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with the backing of the Afghan Interior Ministry, the official said.
"Preparations took three months," he said.
"The operation was launched based on a tip-off about the location of drug-making laboratories. It took us three months to establish the precise whereabouts of the drug laboratories, to analyze the specifics of the terrain, as well as to obtain information about those involved, production volumes and possible routes for funding and precursor supplies," Ivanov said.