DUSHANBE, September 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Police officers have warded off an attempt by drug traffickers to transport a large amount of heroin to Dushanbe from the Khatlon province, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

The source at a MoI said that their officers found a package containing some 9 kilograms of heroin while searching a car Toyota-Camry at the Fakhrobod Pass on September 4.  The package with narcotics belonged to the passenger Davlat Ikromov.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted on a drug-trafficking charge and an investigation is under way.

Over the first seven months of this year, Tajik law enforcement authorities have seized 3,212 kilograms of narcotics, including 777,702 kilograms of heroin and 551.845 kilograms of raw opium.