DUSHANBE, May 16, 2013, Asia-Plus – Some 50 kilograms of heroin were found in the Dushanbe-Moscow train on Wednesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told journalists in Moscow on May 15.

“This fact proves solid reasons for our complaints made during inspection of this train by the state commission of the Russian Federation,” Rogozin was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass.

We will recall that Russian officials last month threatened to ban trains from Tajikistan, complaining that sleeper trains heading to Moscow from the country are unacceptably dirty and pose a health risk.  The border service also expressed concerns over rampant drug smuggling.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, whose portfolio includes defense, ostentatiously toured a Moscow-bound Tajik train on April 14 and declared it unfit for carrying humans.  Rogozin also suggested that Tajiks could be subject to new passport restrictions.

Russia''s chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko told Russian media about the health “risks” of the trains.  Russian border service has proposed to suspend Tajik rail service to Russia altogether.