DUSHANBE, February 15, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Officers from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) have seized a large amount of hashish in two separate operations carried out in Dushanbe and the Shouroobod district of Khatlon province.

According to the SCNS press center, Mahmoudjon Qurbonov, 33, from the Shouroobod district was detained in Dushanbe on suspicion of having been involved in drug pushing.  Qurbonov has the previous conviction for drug trafficking; he was sentenced to 8 years in prison in 2005.  More than 52 kilograms of hashish were found hidden in his Nissan Maxima.

Amriddin Shoyev 29, from Dushanbe was detained by the SCNS officers in the Shouroobod district on suspicion of having been involved in drug trafficking.  More than 63 kilograms of hashish were found hidden in his car.  Bozor Qurbonov, 52, from the Shouroobod district and Ghufron Ismoilov, 33, from Sughd province were also arrested over Shoyev’s case.

Besides, a joint operation carried out by SCNS officers and border guards at the Tajik-Afghan border in the Farkhor district, Khatlon province led to the seizure of 16 kilograms of cannabis and more than five kilograms of raw opium, the SCNS press center said.