DUSAHNBE, May 4, Asia-Plus - Tajik border guards have seized more than 268 kilograms of drugs over the first four months of the year, Asia-Plus has learned at the border protection directorate of the State Committee for National Security.

The totaled included some 65 kilograms of heroin, nearly 75 kilograms of raw opium, 116 kilograms of cannabis and more than 12 kilograms of Afghan chars.  

“Of 268 kilograms of the mentioned drugs, 22 kilograms have been intercepted in joint operations carried out by the border troops in cooperation with the country’s special services,” the source said.  

According to him, the report period has seen six skirmishes between the border troops and armed drug smugglers.  “18 drug couriers have been detained and 13 unit of firearms have been seized over the same four-month period.”   

In the meantime, officers from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) have intercepted more than 1,500 kilograms of narcotics since the beginning of the year.