78 kg of imported drugs from Tajikistan and Afghanistan were seized

78 kg of drugs smuggled from Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been seized, as reported by the State Security Service.

A criminal group, including one Tajikistani citizen and six Uzbekistani citizens, involved in drug trafficking, was apprehended by the Security Service of the State officers in a swift operation in the Urgut district of the Samarkand region, near the Panjikent district of Tajikistan.

During the operation, 11 kg and 502 g of opium, smuggled through clandestine routes, were confiscated from the group members. Additionally, $2,600 USD, 12,690,000 soums, and 850 soums were seized as evidence. It was discovered that they intended to sell the drugs brought from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan. Notably, two of the six group members from the Urgut district had previous convictions for drug-related offenses.

In a separate incident, a Kazakhstani citizen, born in 1985, was stopped and his luggage was searched by the State Security Service in collaboration with customs authorities in the Yangiyol district of Tashkent region. This search revealed 46 kg and 738 g of hashish, which was duly recorded as evidence.

The operation extended further, leading to the arrest of his accomplices: a Tajikistani citizen born in 1976 and an Uzbekistani citizen born in 1964, who was driving. It was found that this hashish had been smuggled from Afghanistan.

In another related action, officials of the Security Service of the State in the Fergana region conducted a swift operation. A Gentra car traveling the Tashkent-Fergana route was stopped and searched at an RPC station in the Pop district. This led to the discovery of 19 kg and 885 g of hashish hidden inside the car, transported by brothers born in 1996 and 2001 from Margilon city.

A third accomplice, born in 1998 and also from Margilon, following the brothers in a separate car, was arrested. During preliminary investigations, it was revealed that the narcotics had been left by drug couriers from Tajikistan at a secret location in the Ohangaron district of Tashkent region.

Criminal cases have been initiated against these individuals under articles 246 and 273 of the Criminal Code, with pre-trial detention applied. Investigations are ongoing.

Earlier, a person known as "Yovvoyi," who was transporting narcotics from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, was also arrested.