DUSHANBE, January 23, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Officers from the Interior Ministry directorate for combating drug trafficking (drug police) and its offices in the provinces have seized a large consignment of narcotics and mercury.

The source says Tajik national B.B., 52, was detained in Dushanbe Friday evening while selling 1.77 kilograms of mercury to undercover drug police officer posing as a buyer for mercury.  “The preliminary investigation has established that the detainee had purchased this consignment of mercury in the 1990s,” he noted.

On the same day, three persons were detained in Khatlon’s Hamdoni district on suspicion of having been involved in drug pushing.  16.55 kilograms of narcotics were confiscated from them.  A totaled included 9 kilograms of cannabis and 7.55 kilograms of hashish, the source said.