KABUL: Residents of Sehkhana street in capital Kabul say their concerns have increased about drugs sellers and related crimes in the area where a murder also happened two days ago.
Murtaza Hazara, a resident of the area that falls in the 10th district of Kabul City, told Pajhwok Afghan News that heroin locally known as ‘power’ was openly sold in the street in broad daylight. He said the illicit trade had grown in the last four years, thus creating serious issues for locals.
“The street’s actual name is Sayed Nizam Mosque, but now it is known as ‘the street of powder sellers.’ Two days ago, a person was murdered and two others were wounded in a gun attack in the street,” he said.
He said drug sellers usually harassed other people and they once shot and injured a 14-year-old boy in the foot with a pistol one year and a half years back.
He said local residents had time and again complained to the relevant police district, but they did nothing and ‘powder’ was continued to be sold openly. “Police detain these powder sellers but they are back to the business after a few days,” he added.
A prayer leader in the area, who wished to go unnamed, also said heroin was sold openly there and as a result local people were in great trouble.
“If you ask anyone even a child in this area, they would give you the exact address of the Powder Street. The reason behind its name is not a secret, powder is sold here openly, people are killed and other crimes take place here,” he said.
Col. Abdul Wahid Ahmadi, the district police chief, told Pajhwok that the area had been famous for heroin for the last 17 years but over the past five months ‘a permanent center of heroin business’ in the area was dismantled as a result of police efforts.
“In the past, this street was known as Panjshiri Street but unfortunately it got famous with the name of Powder Street among people. Forgetting this name would take time,” he said.
He said police would allow no one to indulge in drug sales in any area and would arrest and take them to justice.
About the murder incident that took place in the street on Friday night, the police official said some drunk individuals had entered a physical fight, in which one person was killed and two others wounded
