KHUJAND, July 21, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Three drug-trafficking groups have been dismantled and 16 drug-related crimes have been solved by the Sughd counternarcotics directorate since the beginning of this year, Asia-Plus has learned at the Sughd counternarcotics directorate. 

Over the report period, 332.12 kilograms of narcotics, including 129.322 kilograms of heroin, have been sized, the source said. 

11 residents of the Sughd province -- four from Mastchoh, three from Spitamne, two from Jabborrasulov and one from Panjakent – have been detained in the Russian Federation in January-June this year for drug smuggling.  

A large-scale anti-drug operation, dubbed Poppy-2008, involving officers from the counternarcotics directorate and other law enforcement agencies of Sughd, is going on in the province.  More than 1.236 million drug-containing plants have been destroyed, the source said.