DUSHANBE, April 11, Asia-Plus - Tajik border troops have detained nine Afghan armed drug traffickers with a large amount of drugs in the territory of the Shuroobod district, according to the border directorate of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB).

The source at the border directorate said that their border troops on a routine patrol spotted and tried to detained a group of Afghan armed drug traffickers, numbering 10 persons, who were illegally crossing the border river in the Shuroobod district Tuesday night.  The border guards later fired at the trespassers after the last tried to flee, according to the source.

“The trespassers hid themselves in the Zorvus gorge,” said the border directorate source. “As a result of skirmish between the search group and the drug traffickers, nine trespassers were arrested.”  No injured was reported among the border guards, according to him.

The source added that some 70 kilograms of cannabis had been found on the scene.  Investigation is under way.