DUSHANBE, December 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Officers from Tajik counternarcotics agency have reportedly shut down a big drug channel to Russia and seized more than 31 kilograms of narcotics in one operation.

According to the Drug Control Agency (DCA) press service, drug control officers have tracked the organized drug-trafficking ring, which was transporting Afghan narcotics to the Tajik capital, for long time.  Recently, they received report that a large consignment of drugs will be transported to Dushanbe.

On December 2, the Dushanbe resident Z.A. was arrested on suspicion of having been involved in drug trafficking.  When searching his house, the drug control officers found 41 packages containing narcotic drug that was tested positive to raw opium weighing 31.726 kilograms.

The preliminary investigation has established that Z.A. bought the opium from an Afghan national for transporting to Russia.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against the detained drug peddler and an investigation is under way.