DUSHANBE, December 12, Asia-Plus - An operation by police has led to the seizure of a large amount of raw opium in Dushanbe.

According to the Ministry of Interior (MoI), a 26-year-old resident of the northern district of Istraravshan Bahrom Yoqubov was arrested in Dushanbe yesterday on suspicion of having been involved in drug trafficking.  A pistol Makarov was confiscated from him.  “When searching apartment that Yoqubov was renting in Dushanbe police found more than 40 kilograms of raw opium,” the MoI source said.  

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against Yoqubov and an investigation is under way.   

In all, Tajikistan’s law enforcement agencies and border troops have seized some 5,000 kilograms of drugs this year.