The Taliban have reportedly detained two persons in the eastern Nangarhar province for allegedly attempting to smuggle lithium ore into Pakistan.
Two men were detained on Sunday at the Torkham border crossing while carrying four tons of lithium ore were found concealed inside a truck beneath a shipment of coal, provincial officials said.
Earlier, two chines nationals and three Afghans were arrested while trying to smuggle about 1,000 tons of rocks containing raw lithium.
The lithium was impounded when smuggled from Nuristan and Kunar to the province of Nangarhar.
According to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, approximately 300 tonnes were taken in Nangarhar and turned over to the ministry, and another 700 tonnes were seized in the province of Kunar.
A rare metal called lithium is mainly employed in modern technology, such as batteries in smartphones, electric motors, computers, and drones.
Afghanistan, one of the wealthiest countries in terms of natural resources, is said to contain enormous lithium deposits and rare earth minerals worth an estimated $1 trillion.
