Police in the Bukhara Province in southwestern Uzbekistan have seized over 10 kg (22 lbs) of heroin from two drug couriers, a source in the republic''s interior ministry said on Tuesday.

Traffic officers discovered 34 plastic bags containing heroin, stashed in a car trunk, reported RIA Novosti.

"They [the drug couriers] admitted receiving a large batch of heroin from Tajik nationals," the source said.

A criminal case has been launched and an investigation is underway.

Drug traffickers use secret mountain roads bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to smuggle drugs into the country and then couriers deliver the drugs to Russia and onto Europe.

The republic''s interior ministry said it had solved 9,435 drug-related crimes in 2007, up 601 from 2006. A total of 2.1 metric tons of drugs, including 480 kg of heroin and 731 kg of raw opium were seized in the country last year.