Dushanbe. June 21. “Asia-Plus” -- A shipment of counterfeit medicines worth 214,800 Somoni ($49,000) has been destroyed in Dushanbe today.

Head of the Counter-narcotic Department of the Tajik Interior Ministry Mansur Buhoriev told the AP that medicines withdrawn as a result of “Morphine” special operation were evidences in one criminal case.

He said that drug fighters have arrested Umedjon Mahkamov, a 22-year-old resident of Istaravshan city of Sughd district. Mahkamov was selling counterfeit medicines in Dushanbe.

“Starting from February 27 this year one of our officers purchased a $1000 worth shipment of medicines from Mahkamov. Seller promised our officer to find some other medicines, including Somnol, Mezim and Diazepam (which is sold under special license only) worth $3000. Mahkamov was arrested in the course of the second deal,” Jurakhon Zoirov, an officer from the Counter-Narcotic Department has said.

He said more than 15,000 packs of Mezim Forte, 2,605 boxes of Somnol and 5 ampoules of Sodium ampiox have been withdrawn from Mahkamov’s property in Dushanbe. Mahkamov said that he delivered all these medicines by airplane from Sughd area.

“According to the results of expertise, which was carried out by the State Center of Medical Expertise under Tajik Ministry of Health, all withdrawn medicines have counterfeit character. In early June this year Mahkamov was sentenced to three years in prison,” Zoirov added.

Drug fighters are now trying to identify all other persons involved in this crime.