DUSHANBE, September 15, 2010, Asia-Plus -- An attempt of smuggling a large amount of heroin into Tajikistan has been warded off at the Tajik-Afghan border in Farkhor district, Khatlon province.

A resident of Farkhor district was detained at the border area yesterday on suspicion of having been involved in drug smuggling, the source at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said.  According to him, a package containing 14 kilograms of heroin was confiscate from the alleged drug smuggler.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against him on drug charges and an investigation is under way.

Tajik law enforcement authorities have seized 2,397 kilograms of narcotics over the first eight months of this year, and police accounted for 62 percent of the overall volume of narcotics seized over the report period.  In January-August this year, Tajik police have seized some 1,500 kilograms of narcotics.  A totaled included 370 kilograms of heroin, 243 kilograms of raw opium and the remainder was cannabis.